How to avoid the harms of lean meat powder? An analysis of trends in the pig farming market in Taiwan, China

"Lean meat powder" comes in many varieties, the most common being ractopamine and clenbuterol. It belongs to the class of sympathomimetic stimulants, was originally used as a medication to treat asthma, and is also a banned substance used by a small number of athletes. In the early 1980s, a company in the United States accidentally discovered that adding a certain dose of lean meat powder to feed could noticeably promote animal production and increase lean meat yield.

Because lean meat powder can promote protein synthesis, it makes animals grow more lean meat and less fat, reduces feed use, and brings meat to market earlier, thus lowering costs and raising profits accordingly. Pigs that are typically fed lean meat powder need only about 5-6 months of raising before they can be marketed; pigs not given lean meat powder must be raised for more than 7 months before slaughter. For a pig farmer raising 10,000 pigs, using lean meat powder can bring in an extra 30 million yuan a year. Driven by such profit, whether a farmer can uphold health principles in raising animals really comes down to the farmer's conscience.

The effects caused by eating food containing lean meat powder

In 1993, Spain saw the world's first case of lean meat powder poisoning caused by eating meat. Its clinical symptoms include tachycardia, trembling of the facial, neck and limb muscles, dizziness, headache, nausea and vomiting. In patients with hypertension or heart disease in particular, it may worsen their condition and lead to accidents.

After that, cases of lean meat powder poisoning occurred one after another, and many countries around the world banned its use as a feed additive. Because lean meat powder is a drug, it cannot disappear even if the meat is cooked. Although some people think it does not matter if they consume trace amounts of lean meat powder, the raisers believe that adding even a tiny bit, or adding it in large amounts, is illegal; many would rather add large amounts to save more costs.

So how can we effectively stay away from the harms of lean meat powder? Below I will introduce the current market trends in pig farming in Taiwan, China, to help you better choose suitable and safe meat:

1. Smallholders raising and slaughtering their own pigs:

These smallholders mostly raise pigs for their own consumption, usually keeping the pigs in a very clean and hygienic environment. Because there is no economic consideration, and the meat is eaten by themselves, family or friends, they naturally do not use drugs. But for a family of four, a whole pig's worth of meat can be eaten for 1-2 months, so output of this type is very scarce.

2. Smallholders raising their own pigs, bidding at the meat market:

At present, smallholders who can legally slaughter on their own are still a minority. Most smallholders hand their pigs over to the meat market for bidding, after which meat traders or slaughterhouses make their purchases. For this type of meat, if it comes from a slaughterhouse with CAS certification, consumers can rest assured that the slaughtering and cutting environment is very hygienic, but we cannot trace back to quality management such as the feed or environment during the raising period.

3. Slaughterhouses of well-known brands:

The third type of slaughterhouse has CAS certification. Because the brand value is well known, it is also very strict with itself, and usually has contracted farms it works with, controlling quality from the source itself, including the raising, slaughtering and cutting stages. Although this type is also monitored throughout the process, because the certification cost for traceable agricultural products is expensive and the work is time-consuming, not every slaughterhouse can obtain it.

4. Slaughterhouses with traceable agricultural product certification:

Traceable agricultural product certification is "the guarantee of food safety from farm to table." From the stages of raising, slaughtering, cutting to distribution and sale, there are detailed records throughout the entire process. This also means that the inspection agency has personally gone to the farmer's production site for you, to confirm whether what the farmer has recorded complies with the regulations, and to carry out random testing of the products. This type of slaughterhouse is very conscientious, not only demanding strict standards of itself, but also actively accepting inspection by impartial agencies, so that everyone can clearly understand the relevant production information. Precisely because every link is transparent, this type of meat is the safest; the entire process must meet the traceable agricultural product standards before a sticker printed with the certification mark can be affixed for sale.

The benefits of choosing meat with traceable agricultural product certification

Among the meat produced by the four types above, products with traceable agricultural product certification are the most reassuring. This kind of meat has absolutely no antibiotic residues and no added lean meat powder. Although the price is somewhat higher, it can reduce unnecessary harm from drug resistance and can better encourage local farmers who insist on not using drugs. Choosing high-quality, toxin-free meat better balances health, safety and deliciousness!