by China Post

The government yesterday pulled 1,900 kilograms of New Zealand beef from store shelves after being informed the meat contained relatively high levels of insecticide -- although the pesticide levels involved did not present a danger to consumers.

The Department of Health said New Zealand had informed it that the beef shipment contained endosulfan, which is banned in Taiwan.

Physicians said it could cause harm if consumed in large quantities but the New Zealand mission here and DOH officials said there was not enough of the insecticide in the beef to pose a danger.

"The levels of endosulfan suspected present no health risk to consumers," a statement from the New Zealand Trade Office said.

"The levels fall well within limits for vegetables/small fruit," it said.

DOH officials also said consumers would have to eat seven kilograms of the beef daily to be harmed.

The beef had already been distributed island wide, health officials said, and one of 77 boxes imported from New Zealand remained missing in Taipei.

The 77 25-kilogram boxes of New Zealand beef containing the insecticide were imported by three Taiwan trading companies in September.

The officials pulled the beef from the shelves after it was found that the levels of endosulphan were higher than internationally-approved levels.

The statement from the New Zealand Trade Office said the New Zealand Food and Safety Authority recently discovered there was a pesticide residue in the beef and immediately notified the Taiwan authorities and provided all necessary information.

The mission said authorities had tracked the source of the residue to a handful of cattle on a single farm. The farmer involved had incorrectly applied the plant insecticide directly to ten of his beef cattle.

A block has been placed on all products from the farm concerned and Taiwan will not import its beef, the statement said.

The farmer had sprayed the cattle with endosulfan to get rid of cattle ticks, causing the pesticide to be absorbed by the beef.

The DOH called on health authorities in Taiwan's cities and counties to help trace the imported beef and urged meat stores to notify their local health authorities if they see any meat product marked with the number: 470309023629.

Endosulfan is a highly toxic pesticide that affects the central nervous system. It can cause dizziness, headaches and nausea.