Hsiao Tung-ming, acting director general of the Bureau of Food Sanitation, made the statement at a press conference held yesterday afternoon.
Hsiao said that based on follow-up investigations by all local health and sanitation authorities, domestic importers have imported a total of 293.24 metric tons of pork and pig viscera products into the island so far, and all such products were manufactured before the exposure of the dioxin-contamination issue on Nov. 15-17. Accordingly, Hsiao stressed that all the Dutch pork and pig viscera products now being sold on the island have nothing to do with the dioxin-contamination issue, and local residents can enjoy such products without any worries.
On Jan. 25, an importer in the northern county of Miaoli County applied for customs inspection of two containers of pig viscera imported from the Netherlands. But the containers have been locked by the customs, not reaching the domestic market. In response, Hsiao said that the DOH will closely monitor the movement of the two containers, adding that if the imported products were manufactured before Nov. 15, then the DOH would allow the Miaoli importer to take delivery of the imports.
At the press conference, DOH Minister Hou Sheng-mou also instructed the health bureau chiefs of Taichung City and Taichung County to inspect some 20 tons of Dutch pork and pig viscera products sealed up after the DOH imposed a ban on pork imports from the Netherlands on Feb. 3. Hou also requested they come up with official inspection reports within two weeks.
To safeguard the health of local people, the DOH imposed a temporary ban on pork imports from the Netherlands till the matter is clarified.
The ban came after suspected cases of pig and chicken dioxin poisoning were reported in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. Taiwan didn't import chicken from the three countries, and only imported pork from the Netherlands.
The three European countries have isolated over 650 farms suspected of using dioxin-contaminated feed made in Belgium, and the Netherlands has shut down some 260 farms.
Dioxin, a by-product of garbage burning and industrial activities, can cause a range of illness in human beings, including cancer, metabolism malfunction and miscarriages.
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