Taipei: Traces of the veterinary drug ractopamine have been detected in two batches of frozen pork knuckles imported from Australia, according to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA). The TFDA reported that the shipments, totaling 47.25 metric tons, contained 0.002 parts per million (ppm) and 0.003 ppm of the substance, which are both below Taiwan’s maximum residue limits for ractopamine in pork products.

According to Focus Taiwan, the current legal limits for ractopamine in pork are set at 0.01 ppm for pork meat, fat, and other edible parts, and 0.04 ppm for organs like liver and kidneys. These findings follow an earlier incident where a shipment of imported pork from Australia tested positive for ractopamine at Taiwan’s border for the first time since restrictions on ractopamine in pork were lifted on January 1, 2021.

The recent batches were produced by the same manufacturer but imported by a different trading company, as stated by TFDA Director-General Chiang Chih-kang. Huahung International Trading Co., the importer of the two pork shipments, has issued an apology and pledged to implement stricter controls to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

For beef imports, which have been permitted with minimal ractopamine traces since 2012, a total of 249,609 batches of beef and beef offal have been tested, with 2,493 testing positive. Of those, only six batches contained excessive levels of ractopamine and were either destroyed or returned.

Both beef and pork imports undergo rigorous inspection to ensure food safety, with scientific analysis supporting the requirements, according to Chiang. Ractopamine, used to promote muscle growth in animals, is permitted as a feed additive for pigs in 26 countries, including the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and South Korea. However, the European Union and China ban the substance due to concerns over its impact on animal and human health.