Beef imported by Mayfull Foods tested positive for leanness-enhancing drugs and entered Wang Steak Group's Yuanshao restaurants
The Public Health Bureau of Taoyuan County Government randomly tested 35 food ingredients from chain restaurants, department stores and food courts in hypermarkets within its jurisdiction. Among them, one meat product was found to contain residues of the banned leanness enhancer Zilpaterol in the "Yuanshao" premium original-flavor grilled meat under the Wang Group. In response to the non-compliant meat products, the Public Health Bureau immediately required the operator to stop selling them. The source of the meat was traced to Meifu International Co., Ltd., and the entire case has been referred to the public health bureau with jurisdiction over Meifu for handling.
After receiving notification from the Public Health Bureau of Taoyuan County Government, the Public Health Bureau of Taipei City Government investigated and found that the batch of boneless beef was imported from the United States by Meifu on January 3 of this year, totaling 238.82 kg, and on January 20 of this year, totaling 122.43 kg, for a total of 361.25 kg, all of which was sold to the Wang Steak Group. The bureau immediately dispatched personnel to investigate overnight and supervise the removal and recall of 203.40 kg of beef from Yuanshao, which was returned to Meifu's Neihu warehouse for sealing and storage.
The Public Health Bureau stated that at present, among leanness enhancers, only Ractopamine has a permitted residue level of 10 ppb (part per billion); all other types of leanness enhancers are regulated as not detectable. This is because leanness enhancers are mainly added by livestock farmers to animal feed to promote protein synthesis, reduce fat growth, reduce feed use, bring meat products to market earlier, and lower costs. Eating meat products with excessive leanness enhancer residues may cause poisoning symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, muscle tremors, palpitations, and elevated blood pressure.
The Public Health Bureau called on the public to choose products with quality labels when purchasing meat, or to buy from reputable manufacturers, and advised against buying meat of unknown origin. It also called on food manufacturers and food and beverage operators to clearly label or disclose the source location of beef on packaging or in places where food is served to the public, in order to safeguard the health and safety of the public's diet.
