Taipei: Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) announced on Sunday that it will maintain its current pork import inspection procedures, notwithstanding the detection of ractopamine in imported pork for the first time since lifting the ban in 2021.

According to Focus Taiwan, the TFDA confirmed that pork imports will continue to undergo 2-10 percent batch inspections. This decision follows a phased relaxation of controls from 100 percent in 2021 to the current 20-50 percent in 2023, after consistent testing revealed no residue.

The TFDA pork monitoring dashboard reported that a 22.99-metric-ton shipment from Australia on April 29 tested positive for 0.001 parts per million (ppm) of ractopamine. This level is significantly below Taiwan’s legal threshold, which is set at 0.01 ppm for meat and edible parts, and 0.04 ppm for organs such as liver and kidneys.

The shipment, which included pig feet, intestines, jowls, skin, and liver connective tissue, marked the first instance of ractopamine detection in imported pork since the market was opened. This has raised concerns that the presence of ractopamine might not be limited to U.S. pork but could potentially affect imports from other countries as well.

In light of the detection, the TFDA reiterated its commitment to its four guiding principles for inspections: ensuring food safety, conducting scientific analysis, adhering to international standards, and maintaining market surveillance to safeguard public health.