| Legislator calls on caterers to conduct own meat tests
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Pasuya Yao yesterday urged catering businesses to test the meat they use to determine whether they contain the leanness-enhancing feed additive ractopamine, while accusing the government of being incapable of handling the nation's latest food safety scare involving the drug used by US cattle ranchers. Wu Kuo-chih, an official from Taiwan Advance Bio-Pharm Inc, said there are numerous ways to check whether a meat sample contains with ractopamine. The price of the service ranges from NT$100 to NT$12,000, depending on the accuracy of the results, Wu said. Food and Drug Administration Director-General Kang Jaw-jou has previously said that "as testing errors may occur, we don't encourage individuals to use a rapid screening kit or send meat samples to uncertified laboratories. "The most cost-effective method for caterers concerned with ractopamine would be the rapid screening kit, which yields 90 percent accuracy in five to 15 minutes," he said. Last month, the government vowed to take steps to prevent imported meat containing traces of ractopamine and other banned substances from entering the domestic market. "What we are promoting conforms with our conscience," said a Taoyuan caterer surnamed Liu, who encouraged her colleagues to voluntarily screen raw meat to gain the trust of consumers. The current situation shows there are loopholes in the local food safety system, Yao said at a press conference, accompanied by caterers. The move could boost the number of customers because they know a second screening, following inspections by the government when meat products are imported, would mean better protection, Liu said. The kit will not be sanctioned by the Department of Health as an authoritative testing approach. There are two certified laboratories in Taiwan that provide ractopamine screening services. |
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Legislator calls on caterers to conduct own meat tests
