Speaking at a news conference in Taipei, NPP caucus whip Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) said that the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Council of Agriculture gave only a seven-day notice before announcing legal amendments to allow the imports of certain US pork and beef products. New Power Party caucus whip Chiu Hsien-chih, center, flanked by NPP legislators Claire Wang, left, Chen Jiau-hua, right, hold a news conference in Taipei yesterday. The NPP made the appeal after the ministry on Sept. 5 announced that the maximum residue limits for pork containing ractopamine are 0.04 parts per million (ppm) for liver and kidneys, and 0.01ppm for all other parts of the animal. The amendment would also specify locations banned from providing pork products containing ractopamine, including military camps, schools and social welfare groups, Wang said. Besides labels showing the country of origin of a pork product, the government should also introduce clear labeling for pork products not containing ractopamine to better inform customers, NPP Legislator Chen Jiau-hua (陳椒華) said, citing Canada as an example, which introduced such labels this year.

Source: Taipei Times September 17, 2020 15:56 UTC