Taiwan health officials remove US beef from store shelves

Feb 13, 2012, 10:34 GMT

Taipei - Taipei health authorities ordered two grocery chains to remove beef ribs from the United States from their shelves Monday after random testing found traces of the drug ractopamine.

The order affects one branch of international hypermarket chain Carrefour, as well as a branch of local hypermarket RT-Mart.

Taipei authorities said the ribs can from the same importer in the neighboring city of New Taipei. Officials from both cities were trying to identify all the markets that may have been supplied by the importer.

Ractopamine, marketed as Paylean by US-based pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company, is used by the US pork and beef industries to promote muscle growth and leanness in pigs and cattle.

The substance is illegal in Taiwan, although the island's government is considering lifting the ban to placate US trade officials who have been pressuring the territory to open up to all US beef products.

The recall came three days after Carrefour pledged to remove all US beef products from its shelves in response to a report by the non-profit group Greenpeace that said the chain sold beef treated with the drug.

Public debate over beef has come to a head since Premier Sean Chen placed the issue at the top of his agenda when he took office in early February.

The move has launched a flurry of opposition from both industry and political groups on the island. Taiwan's opposition Democratic Progressive Party has accused the premier and President Ma Ying-jeou of putting politics over public health.

Unwilling to face a flood of US beef products, local producers announced Monday that they will stage public demonstrations if the government lifts the ractopamine ban, according to the semi-official Central New Agency.

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