FOOD FOR THOUGHT: With nearly 4,000 schools serving school lunches, many parents were beginning to doubt whether it was possible to inspect them, a legislator said

Taipei Times
Date: Oct 06, 2020
By: Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporter

Members of the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee yesterday raised concerns about how to manage school meals in light of the government’s policy to allow US pork imports containing ractopamine residue.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Aug. 28 announced that Taiwan would ease restrictions on US pork imports containing the “leanness-enhancing” additive and beef from cattle aged 30 months or older, saying that the decision was “based on our national economic interests and consistent with our overall strategic goals.”

The policy is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1.

On the same day as Tsai’s announcement, the Ministry of Education released a statement saying that schools that provide meals must prioritize the use of quality local agricultural products accredited by the central competent agricultural authority in accordance with Article 23 of the School Health Act (學校衛生法), which also prohibits schools from using foods that contain genetically modified ingredients.    [FULL  STORY]