In response to a recent incident of imported Australian pork contained trace levels of ractopamine, the Taichung City Government noted that the importer, Pink Pig Farm Animal International Ltd. in Taiping District of Taichung City, has kept the entire shipment in frozen storage, and none of it has entered the market. Although the detected level—0.001 ppm—is within Taiwan’s legal limit, the city government is treating the issue with caution and is coordinating closely across all bureaus and departments to safeguard public health.
In addition to strengthening inspections of meat products in the market, schools, and livestock farms, the Health Bureau has also launched a cross-departmental project to strengthen inspections on ractopamine and labeling for school lunches and meat products sold in various distribution channels. So far, the Economic Development Bureau has confirmed that labeling at public markets, chain stores, and major supermarkets complies with regulations. The Education Bureau has initiated inspections to ensure food safety in Taichung schools, and the Agriculture Bureau conducted drug residue monitoring at livestock farms, with no ractopamine detected in 2025.
The Food and Drug Safety Office reported that Pink Pig Farm Animal International Ltd. in Taiping District imported 22,991.64 kilograms of Australian pork containing trace levels of ractopamine. The entire shipment is still frozen in the company’s frozen storage and has not entered the market. The importer plans to send samples for independent third-party testing, and future decisions will be based on those results. In the meantime, the city government will verify the inventory and closely monitor the shipment’s status and movements.
The city government has launched a cross-departmental project, with a coordinated effort across the Health, Education, and Agriculture bureaus. The project focuses on school lunches and retail meat products, boosting both ractopamine and label inspections. Joint inspections are being carried out to ensure that schools are using locally sourced meat, with inspections covering group meal providers, in-school kitchens, and food suppliers. These inspections involve verifying meat origins and conducting residue tests to make sure all meats served in schools are free from ractopamine.
The city government has ramped up meat product inspections across all sectors, from importers, manufacturers, foodservice providers, and retailers. Inspection items include labeling, ractopamine testing, and random sampling, with at least 500 labeling checks and 50 samples tested each month to safeguard public health. By the end of April, a total of 4,243 inspections had been conducted, with 3,912 focused on labeling, 131 on rapid tests, and 200 on random samples— all meeting safety standards. The results are publicly disclosed on the “Ractopamine Meat Products” section of the city government’s website for consumers to access.
On the 5th, the Economic Development Bureau launched an inspection of origin labeling at public retail markets, chain stores, and major supermarkets. This included 40 public markets across the city, with 204 stalls selling fresh pork, as well as four chain stores and major supermarkets: City Super in Top City Taichung, PX MART Taichung Fuxing Store, Funcom Supermarket Fuxing Store, and Carrefour Qinghai Store. A total of 15 products were checked to verify the accuracy of pork origin labeling, and the results showed that all vendors complied with the labeling regulations. The city government ensures that consumers have transparent, trustworthy information about the pork they purchase and supporting their right to make informed decisions.
The Education Bureau emphasized that it will continue requiring schools to verify food ingredients as per their contracts and register them on the Ministry of Education’s Campus Food Ingredients Registration Platform, ensuring that parents can access information about the menu and ingredients used. The Agriculture Bureau reported ongoing inspections on drug residues at livestock farms. In 2024, 233 samples—covering pig, cattle, sheep serum, and chicken, duck, and goose meat—along with 20 feed samples, were tested, and from January to April 2025, 35 samples were tested, with no ractopamine found.