Is the US beef market unwinding? CAC by Ractopamine Residue Bottom Line

The controversy over American beef that has been arguing between the ruling and opposition parties in China has finally shown a glimmer of hope! The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) held its annual meeting in Rome at 2 p.m. local time on the 5th, voting 69 to 67 to pass the 10 micrograms (parts per billion, ppb) residue limit for ractopamine (also known as lean meat enhancer) in meat, which maintained the result of last year's post-meeting statement.

The statement on the residue permit of ractopamine at the 34th Annual Meeting of CAC in 2011 pointed out that based on the risk assessment of the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the recommendations of the Codex Committee on Veterinary Drug Residues in Foods (CCRVDF), conclusions were reached in the 2004, 2006 and 2010 meetings respectively, setting the bottom line for ractopamine residues in beef and pork at 10ppb, fat at 10ppb, liver at 40ppb, kidney at 90ppb, and the lungs were excluded.

The U.S. FDA allows livestock farmers to use feed containing ractopamine to reduce fat and increase muscle, so it is also commonly known as "clenbuterol", including Paylean® for pig farmers and Optaflexx® for cattle farmers.

In addition to the United States, 26 countries including Canada and Australia also allow the use of ractopamine in feed. However, the European Union, Russia, China, Taiwan and other countries are uncertain about the harm that the residues of the drug will cause after being ingested by the human body, and the United States has been slow to provide credible inspection reports. Therefore, the two sides have been arguing over the issue of U.S. meat imports and exports.

Although the CAC voted to pass the 10ppb residue bottom line by just 2 votes, it is great news for the large number of cattle and pig farmers in the United States. Representatives from the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and the National Beef Association (NCBA) actively lobbied on the spot and also expressed their approval of the meeting results.

The resolutions made by CAC will most likely be cited by countries around the world as a reference when formulating food safety regulations. Whether the "anti-ractopamine camp", including Taiwan, will compromise and make concessions as a result depends on the continued mediation and consultation by the administrative and legislative units of various countries.