TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Consumers' Foundation Chinese Taipei (CFCT, 消基會) has opposed the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration's (FDA, 食藥署) plan to allow beef imports from Japan regardless of cattle age, citing ongoing concerns about mad cow disease risks on Friday (March 7).
The CFCT emphasized the need for transparency before lifting the age restriction on Japanese beef imports. The foundation criticized the sudden announcement of the proposed changes without prior disclosure of inspection results or relevant information, questioning whether the move aims to facilitate an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA, 經濟夥伴協定) with Japan.
Furthermore, the CFCT warned that, since 2021, 10 cases have been identified as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in Japan, which has an incubation period of around 10 years and typically affects cattle over the age of 5. They further noted that BSE can cause Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans who eat the diseased meat.
To ensure consumer awareness and informed decision-making, the foundation urged the Ministry of Health and Welfare (衛福部) to clarify the reasons and background for the amendment. The FDA announced a draft amendment on Tuesday (March. 4) to remove the restriction limiting imports to cattle under 30 months old.