Additive levels need review: lawmakersUNANSWERED QUESTIONS: The Taiwan People’s Party caucus whip asked why the government was rushing to set standards for ractopamine while concerns remainBy Wu Su-wei and Chen Yun / Staff reportersOpposition lawmakers yesterday urged the Democratic Progressive Party-led government not to push through new maximum residue limit (MRL) standards for ractopamine in pork without legislative review. Photo: Wu Su-wei, Taipei TimesOther parts, including hog maw, intestines, heart, tongue, brain and blood, would also be permitted to contain 0.01ppm of the additive, it said. Although Tsai has said that the new standards do not need legislative review, Chen called on Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) to convene cross-caucus negotiations and health committee meetings to review the standards. The government should not recklessly open up US pork imports without presenting convincing assessments and pork labeling regulations, she said. Now, the ministry basically accepts the commission’s 2012 standards, except it is imposing stricter MRLs for pork kidney products, he said.

Source: Taipei Times September 05, 2020 15:56 UTC