Taiwan detects muscle-growth drug in imported U.S. beef

The following article suggests that Korean extremely vigilant of imported beef, both for economic and presumably health reasons.  This means that "sneaking" an accidentlly contaminated or treated carcass into the export stream could have far reaching consquenses all the way back to the producer....Chad Cheyney
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Focus Taiwan
January 14, 2011

Taipei (CNA) -- Taiwan has recently detected small residues of banned drugs promoting leanness in livestock in beef imported from the United States, Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang said Friday, adding that safety checks on imported meat products would be reinforced.

Yaung announced the results of the latest food checks at a press conference along with Food and Drug Administration Director-General Kang Chao-chou.

It was the first time banned drugs had been detected in U.S. beef since Taiwan re-opened its doors to American beef in 2007, after suspending imports of the product over mad-cow disease worries.

Yaung said that while the level of the drug in the meat products were extremely low, it was better to inform the public of the matter, but he also hoped that people would give his office time to track down the source of the beef and where it has been sold, he said.

According to Kang, his administration's preliminary tests detected 5 ppb (parts per billion) of the leanness drug Paylean in each of two batches of U.S. beef awaiting customs clearance.

Full text:

http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aALL&ID=201101140033