Taiwan health authorities have temporarily banned pork imports
from the Netherlands over animal dioxin poisoning there, according
to a report reaching Hong Kong from Taipei.
"Imports of pork and pig viscera from the Netherlands are
suspended until the matter is clarified, and sales of those here
are also banned," said a Taiwan health official yesterday.
The ban was imposed after suspected cases of pig and chicken
dioxin poisoning were reported in the Netherlands, Germany and
Belgium, he said.
Taiwan did not import chicken from the three countries, only
pork from the Netherlands.
The three countries have isolated over 650 farms suspected of
using dioxin-contaminated feed made in Belgium; the Netherlands has
shut 260 farms.
A Brussels food safety official said flawed filters at a
chemical plant sent high levels of dioxin to animal feed, but
stressed there was no immediate danger to human health.
Dioxin, a byproduct of garbage burning and industrial
activities, can cause cancer, metabolism malfunction and
miscarriages.
(Shanghai Daily February 6, 2006)