Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 10/30/13


Taiwan will step up inspections of imports of U.S. beef from a plant implicated in a second finding of a banned growth additive in a shipment in Asia during the past three weeks, according to media reports.

Inspectors found that a 300-kilogram shipment from a yet-unidentified U.S. company contained zilpaterol hydrochloride, known by the Merck & Co. brand name Zilmax.

The discovery comes within three weeks of South Korea’s finding of the same drug in a shipment from JBS USA.

Zilmax made headlines this summer when Tyson Foods and later Cargill announced they would no longer procure cattle that had been fed the drug due to concerns about its possible animal health effects. Merck later announced it would temporarily suspend sales of Zilmax as those concerns were researched.

The large reduction in the use of cattle given Zilmax in the U.S. reduces the likelihood of similar problems popping up in foreign markets, but the latest discovery shows it is still working its way through the supply chain.

Joe Schuele, spokesman for the U.S. Meat Export Federation, told Meatingplace that Taiwan will up its inspection rate to 20 percent from 5 percent, but that applies only to the exporting facility, importer and specific product in question.

"In other words, it does not mean all U.S. beef products will be subject to an enhanced inspection rate, or even all products from the exporting facility that produced the positive result," he said.

Schuele added that while market access for U.S. beef will not be affected in Taiwan, USMEF is working with local retailers and distributors to address misinformation that might come from the high level of news coverage there on the issue.

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