US officials in Beijing to discuss ractopamine concerns
US - This week, a US/Chinese Agricultural Working Group is discussing ractopamine concerns in Beijing. While ractopamine is permitted in pork production in 23 countries, it’s banned by China and 159 other nations. China refuses to import hogs with the growth promoter.
29 August 2007
2 minute read
After finding traces of ractopamine in shipments of US pork products, China suspended shipments from several US plants.
USDA Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, Mark Keenum, commented:
"China's a major pork market for the US and they have a zero tolerance for ractopamine, which is a very commonly used, very safe product that is used by pork producers in the US to insure we have a more lean pig for the pork that we produce.”
He says USDA has concerns with China’s zero tolerance policy.
"There's no scientific rationale for such a tolerance and we're urging them to move to an MRL to establish a tolerance, a minimum risk level,” he added.
Source: Brownfield
