Yaung warns Ma against drastic action on beef issue

The China Post news staff--It would be an inappropriate and unwise practice if President Ma Ying-jeou takes drastic action to allow imports of beef products containing ractopamine from the U.S. regardless of strong domestic opposition and as there is no public consensus on whether the leanness-enhancing drug is harmful to human health, Yaung Chi-liang (楊志良), former minister of the Department of Health, warned yesterday.    Yaung, who in his capacity as Department of Health minister announced the imports of ractopamine-free beef products from the U.S. in October 2009, issued the warning when asked by reporters to comment on the controversial ractopamine issue during a break of the third technical consultative conference on the issue.   The former health minister said that the complicated ractopamine issue has become a political issue that should be dealt with carefully.   At the moment, relevant experts have shared polarized views concerning whether consuming beef from cattle fed with ractopamine would undermine human health. Some experts have maintained that the drug is detrimental to human health, and stress that they might agree to lift the ban on imports of ractopamine-fed beef and other meat products from abroad if there is a study proving that ractopamine is not harmful to human health.   On another front, some experts said that hundreds of millions of American people have eaten beef products over the long term, but there haven't been any cases reported that eating meat products containing a small amount of ractopamine would threaten human health. Accordingly, such experts asked those who take opposite views to offer evidence showing the leanness-enhancing drug may be harmful to humans.   Accordingly, Yaung said that the ractopamine issue can hardly be settled based on professionalism, as it's difficult to tell which one of the said camps is right and which is wrong.   "The ractopamine issue has become a political one and the government should deal with it cautiously. If President Ma bows to the pressure from the U.S. and drastically drops the ban on imports of ractopamine-containing beef products, the government will surely pay the price for the inappropriate practice," Yaung told reporters. Local livestock farmers and lawmakers are strongly against easing the ractopamine ban, citing potential health risks to people and animals. The opposition has been fueled by the fact that health officials in Kaohsiung, Taipei and other cities have already found cases of beef containing ractopamine for sale and consumption.   But the government is eager to resolve a dispute that is seen as a stumbling block to reopening talks with the U.S. with the signing of a trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA).   

Lawmakers Raise 7 Amendments to Food Sanitation Regulations   On another front, lawmakers of the ruling and opposition parties have come up with seven amendments regarding food sanitation, requesting the legislating of clear-cut regulations to control imports of ractopamine and other similar drugs, as well as meat from animals fed with these drugs.   Among them, the draft amendment raised by the legislative caucus of the People First Party calls for allowable levels of pesticide or drugs not to be higher than figures set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a body set up by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization. Other draft amendments devised by opposition Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Wu Ping-jui and ruling Kuomintang lawmakers Huang Chao-hsun and Chen Ju-fen ask for zero-tolerance for such materials in imported meat products.   In response, Lin Yi-shih, secretary-general of the Executive Yuan, said that the Cabinet fully respects the right of lawmakers to raise draft amendments and that he will ask related Cabinet ministries to communicate with lawmakers to find optimal solutions to the controversial issue.  

Ractopamine-containing Steak Products Sold on TV Channel   Also yesterday, the Taipei City Government's Department of Health noted that large-sized steak products sold by MoMo Shopping TV were found to have contained ractopamine. The beef was sourced from Shuh Sen Co., a local importer, processor and distributor of various beef, pork, chicken and mutton products.   Health officials said that Shuh Sen imported 249 kilograms of U.S. beef products in early October last year, and then sold 240 kg to Mei Chi Food Co., and 7.48 kg to the offices of the American Institute in Taiwan. Chi Mei, in turn, sold 80 kg to MoMo Shopping TV for sale to consumers, and another 106 kg to shopping malls and restaurants in New Taipei City, with the remaining 54 kg stored at a warehouse in Keelung.   The Taipei health department reported it has already informed its Keelung counterpart to make spot examinations on the beef products stored at the warehouse to see if the importer has violated food sanitation rules and regulations.