The Consumers' Association calls on Facebook to join forces against American beef

The issue of opening up to U.S. beef has become a hotly debated topic and has now become a political struggle. As the Legislative Yuan will vote on the case of importing American beef containing ractopamine on the 12th, the non-governmental group Consumer Foundation publicly called on the government on the 10th to immediately suspend the import and sale of American beef until there is direct and clear scientific evidence to prove that American beef will not affect the health of the people. At the same time, consumers are advised to call or express their support on Facebook to the 13 blue camp legislators who oppose the opening of U.S. beef, hoping to combine the power of public opinion representatives to jointly oppose the opening of U.S. beef.

Ma Ying-jeou, chairman of the Kuomintang, recently pointed out that the main issue facing the U.S. beef is its safety. Scientific standards need to be used to discuss the safety of U.S. beef. In 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the addition of ractopamine to cattle and pig feed, and there have been no reports of poisoning in the past nine years. Americans also eat this beef, and it is not as some people outside say that Americans do not eat it.

In this regard, Su Jinxia, ​​chairman of the Consumers' Foundation, pointed out that although ractopamine is metabolized quickly in animals and about half of its content can be excreted within 6 hours, the clenbuterol that remains in the muscles or internal organs after slaughter is not easy to disappear and is not easily destroyed by heating or cooking. If animals are fed with clenbuterol and it remains in the meat without an appropriate withdrawal period, it may be ingested by consumers, thus posing a risk to health.

In addition, the possible effects of ractopamine include arrhythmia in patients with cardiovascular disease, and metabolic problems in patients with liver and kidney diseases and infants under 18 months old, which are not covered in animal experiments.

On the other hand, the Consumers' Foundation insists on its position of zero detection of clenbuterol. Su Jinxia emphasized that the legislators who originally proposed the bill of zero detection of clenbuterol should stick to the bill they proposed; the proposal represents the values ​​of the legislators, and if the legislators are easily dismissed, they should be examined and criticized by the people.

At the same time, the Consumers' Foundation also named 13 KMT legislators who proposed the zero detection of clenbuterol, hoping that they would still pay attention to public opinion, rather than go against public opinion under the influence or pressure of party will. The proposers of the zero detection proposal include Zheng Rufen, Luo Shulei, Zhang Jiaqun, Ding Shouzhong, Huang Zhaoshun, Jiang Naixin, Wang Huimei, Lin Cangmin, Chen Chaoming, Yang Qiongying, Chen Shuhui, Yang Lihuan, and Li Qinghua. He also called on the public to call legislators to express the people's voice. Or you can click “Like” on the Facebook page of the above legislators to show your support.