Can you safely eat pork during the Chinese New Year? Clenbuterol controversy spreads in Taiwan

　　The Spring Festival is approaching, but Taiwanese people have to worry about whether the pork they buy is safe. Recently, the clenbuterol controversy in Taiwan has continued to spread, once again arousing public concerns about food safety. Public opinion has condemned the Democratic Progressive Party authorities for their arrogance in power and repeated use of politics to manipulate food safety issues.

Clenbuterol "Rashomon"?

　　Taichung City food safety management personnel recently inspected the "Anxin Dolphin" plum blossom meat slices produced by Taiwan Sugar Corporation (referred to as Taiwan Sugar). The test results were announced on February 2 and were found to contain clenbuterol "Cimbuterol". is 0.002ppm. This is the first time in the past ten years that clenbuterol has been detected on the market in Taiwan. This ingredient is a banned category according to relevant food safety regulations in Taiwan. Some experts pointed out that the toxicity of "Sibuterol" is nearly a thousand times higher than the "ractopamine" in the American "Laizhu".

The picture shows Taiwan Sugar’s “Anxin Dolphin” plum blossom meat slices. Picture from United News Network.

　　It is reported that Taiwan Sugar is a local enterprise under the Economic Affairs Department of the Taiwan authorities and is also the largest pig raising enterprise in Taiwan. The "Anxin Dolphin" in question this time is said to come from a processing plant with Taiwan's Good Agricultural Products Label (CAS) certification, and the source feed, pigs and butchery processes have all been checked.

　　Last year, the "American pig origin-washing" scandal broke out on the island, causing many people to turn to local pork. Now, even local pork has problems, and people's concerns about food safety have suddenly increased. The "Anxin Pig" cannot reassure the people. Many people left messages on the Internet asking the DPP: What else can they eat? What else is safe?

　　However, both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration of Taiwan later stated that no "sibutrol" was detected in meat samples from the same batch. The incident fell into "Rashomon". Taiwan's health affairs authorities questioned the Taichung City Government's inspection on the grounds that no cases were detected. The Democratic Progressive Party even mobilized public opinion representatives and pig raising groups to protest, demanding an apology from the Taichung City Government. Wang Bisheng, deputy director of Taiwan's health affairs department, went all out and posted "five major controversial points" on social platforms, questioning the motives of the Taichung City Government in rushing to announce.

Real hammer! Retest confirmed detection of clenbuterol

　　As the controversy rages on, Taiwan Sugar filed an application for re-inspection. The Taichung City Government divided the residual samples into two parts, one of which was handed over to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration for simultaneous re-inspection. The Taichung City Government invited Food and Drug Administration officials, experts, Taiwan Sugar personnel, etc. to participate in the re-inspection. The re-inspection results were announced on February 7, containing 0.002 ppm "Sibuterol".

　　The results announced by Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration on the same day showed that 0.001 ppm of "Sibuterol" was detected. According to reports, the agency tested the samples three times and the results were 0.0013ppm, 0.0014ppm, and 0.0014ppm respectively. The person in charge of the "Food and Drug Administration" said that although the value of 0.001ppm is very low and close to the detection limit, the detection has a scientific basis and it is confirmed that it has been detected.

　　However, on the 7th, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Taiwan authorities announced the results of the expanded inspection of Taiwan Sugar pig farms, and repeatedly emphasized that including upstream feed, mid-range feedlot conditions, and back-end same-batch meat testing, none was found. This is by no means a systemic problem. He insisted that it was a "single case" and "only the box of meat in Taichung was found." This statement may become the main explanation direction of the DPP authorities regarding the clenbuterol incident. Taiwan's administrative department also held a press conference on the afternoon of the 7th and stated that it would form an expert group and hold a meeting as soon as possible to discuss the possibility of detecting "sibutrol" in a single sample.

The picture shows Taiwan Sugar’s “Anxin Dolphin” pork. Picture from United News Network.

Repeatedly using politics to manipulate food safety issues is unpopular

　　However, can the DPP authorities’ explanation of a “single case” and various operations before the re-inspection calm public opinion? Can it make people feel at ease?

　　There was an online survey on the island asking "Do you think Wang Bisheng should step down?". Nearly 30,000 people participated in the vote, and 92% of netizens voted for "should step down." Netizens who participated in the vote left messages saying, "It is necessary to step down, and legal responsibility must be pursued. Otherwise, he will be reinstated in a certain position one day. Do we still need such officials to torture the people?" "And the point is that he didn't want to go. To pursue an investigation is to ironically accuse the Taichung City Government." The "Legislative Yuan" group of the Taiwan People's Party issued a three-point statement on the 7th, demanding that Wang Bisheng must apologize to the public and step down to take responsibility.

　　Taiwan's "United Daily News" commented that this incident reflects the arrogance of the Democratic Progressive Party authorities' governing attitude. Without scientific data, the truth may be difficult to reveal. Other commentators pointed out that the root cause of the clenbuterol controversy that has evolved so far is that the DPP authorities have repeatedly used political means to manipulate food safety issues in the past few years.

　　From opening up the import of "Laizhu" to sparking public resentment on the island, to the fraud of "high-end" vaccines during the epidemic, to the import of problematic eggs by a "one-person company" and the "washing of American pig origins", life-related food and drug safety issues have been repeatedly exposed. However, the DPP authorities lacked an open and transparent explanation, and the dissatisfaction of the people on the island is constantly rising.

　　Taiwan’s “Academician of the Academia Sinica” Chen Peizhe pointed out that the authorities had lost all credibility in this incident. He believes that compared with political debates, the people of Taiwan pay most attention to whether there are any problems with the safety of pork on the island. "The most important thing now is that the people have the right to know how food safety control is carried out. Is there any flaw?" (China News Service WeChat No public)