More than 80 food importers have joined together in a pledge to avoid importing US pork that contains the additive ractopamine.
The government has announced that Taiwan will begin allowing in pork containing the additive at the start of next year. The move lifts a major stumbling block in Taiwan-US trade ties, but it has proved controversial, with lingering concerns about whether ractopamine is safe for human consumption.
The importers that have made the pledge together account for more than 80% of Taiwan’s pork imports.
During a press conference Thursday, the importers pledged that they will continue their current practice of only importing ractopamine-free US pork. They also pledged that they will have the exporters they buy from certify that their pork products do not contain ractopamine and label their pork products ractopamine-free.