First Batch of Imported Pork with Ractopamine Arrives in Taiwan from Australia

Australian Pork Parts Containing Trace Amounts of the Additive Detected

The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) "Pork Dashboard" in Taiwan has revealed that a 22.99-metric-ton shipment of edible pork parts, including feet, intestines, liver, and cheek meat, imported from Australia on April 29th, tested positive for 0.001 PPM of ractopamine.

This marks the first instance of imported pork containing ractopamine since Taiwan lifted its ban on ractopamine-treated pork imports on January 1, 2021. While this particular shipment originated from Australia, it is viewed by some as a potential precursor to increased imports of U.S. pork containing ractopamine.

Current regulations set the maximum allowable residue levels of ractopamine at 0.04 PPM for pork liver and kidneys, and 0.01 PPM for pork meat, fat, intestines, and brains. The levels detected in this Australian shipment fell below these established limits.