Taipei, July 18 (CNA) The pork hormone found in U.S. pork shipments that came under scrutiny by Taiwan opposition legislators present no health concerns and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) did not pressure Taiwan authorities on the matter, AIT spokesman said Wednesday.
"The shipments in question -- under the brand name Paylean -- is made by a U.S. company Elanco. Paylean has been used in the U.S. since 1998, " AIT spokesman Thomas Hodges said, adding that Elanco applied for the use of Paylean to Taiwan's Department of Health (DOH) in 2001.
Agricultural staff at the AIT have confirmed that there is "no health issue with the brand Paylean, " Hodges said.
"We in the U.S. believe Paylean -- the pork hormone -- is safe. And we have conveyed that conviction to the DOH, " Hodges responded to Taiwan opposition legislators' accusation that the AIT had pressured Taiwan authority on the issue.
"We would not characterized it as pressure, " he noted.
People First Party (PFP) Legislators Lin Hui-kuang, Liu Wen-hsiung and Tsai Sheng-chia said in a press conference Wednesday that U.S.-exported pork have been contaminated by banned veterinary drug ractopamine, and urged the DOH to start an investigation immediately.
They accused the government of failing to act responsibly to protect the health of the citizens of the country but seeking to "appease" the United States by allowing the import of American agricultural products "whose safety is in doubt."