TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Premier Chen Chien-jen emphasized on Friday (Oct. 6) that a joint effort between the central government and local authorities found no traces of ractopamine in over 20,000 pork imports.
He warned of severe penalties for those who breach regulations and demanded all businesses correctly label their product according to government regulations. Chen cautioned against errors, emphasizing that those found non-compliant will be fined.
False reporting on the country of origin of imported pork has been discovered recently, with some U.S. pork labeled as being from Canada or the U.K.
The disclosure has sparked concerns over the import of ractopamine-treated American pork, leading to public criticism of the central government's inadequate management.
The issue originated with the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) identifying label discrepancies, leading to local governments launching investigations. To ensure public health and safety, Chen urged for the combined effort of central and local governments in food safety investigations.
Chen appealed to businesses to abide by government regulations and cautioned against attempting to evade legal responsibility.