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Updated Wednesday, October 28, 2009 9:26 am TWN, The China Post news staff Eating U.S. beef parts safer than riding scooters: StantonWilliam Stanton, director of the Taipei Office of the Washington-based The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), told reporters that concern over possibly catching bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease is unnecessary because the American beef products have been certified by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as safe to consume. While more than 50 countries and regions, including the European Union, South Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines, have already established similar liberalization protocols with the United States, nobody in any of those countries have contracted Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease from eating U.S. beef, Stanton said. Also, he continued, since 1997 there have not been any cases of BSE recorded among U.S. cattle, which totals more than 9.4 million head. Citing traffic statistics here, Stanton noted that riding scooters in Taiwan is much more dangerous than eating U.S. beef products, given the fact that 1,034 people died in motorcycle accidents in 2008 alone. Stanton also said it is impossible to reopen talks on the beef trade issue. Under the terms of the new beef accord, U.S. bone-in beef, ground beef, intestines, brains, spinal cords and processed beef from cattle younger than 30 months that have not been contaminated with “specific risk materials” will be allowed to enter Taiwan starting Nov. 10. While continuing to defend the central government's policy of easing import curbs on U.S. beef products, Minister Yaung Chih-liang of the Department of Health (DOH) under the Executive Yuan (Cabinet) said he did not approve of the U.S. envoy's comparison of beef risk with traffic accidents here. Yaung said the U.S. representative cited the accurate traffic accident data, but that it was in appropriate to list such a juxtaposed comparison. For the stand of the DOH, Yaung said the agency's top priority is to eliminate all possible risks to consumers. Concerning Stanton's statements that it is impossible to conduct renegotiation for the beef accord, Yaung said this is a matter beyond the authority of the DOH. Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here Comments October 28, 2009 patrick.devlin1@ Reply Stanton is a bully and lacking in diplomatic skills. The best way to show him who is in charge is for consumers to avoid all American food. It is chemically contaminated, in my view, and the meat products full of harmful antibiotics and growth hormones. I never buy American produce. October 28, 2009 tublairy@ Someone should ask Mr. Stanton if he'd feed beef brains to his grandkids. October 28, 2009 in.sanxia@ Where is the government when it comes to protecting us from the insecticides and herbicides that coat our locally produced fruits and vegetables???????SAVE US FROM THE LOCAL POISONS!! October 28, 2009 elumpen@ Yes, but running up and down the main street of Kabul draped in an American flag is probably safer than driving a scooter in Taiwan. Still, it's basically up to individuals to decide if they want to buy and eat dodgy American beef. Darwin calls it 'natural selection'. American meat also contains, incidentally, high levels of beta-agonists used as repartitioning agents (legal in the US, illegal pretty much everywhere else, including Taiwan). October 29, 2009 nmos001@ What kind of stupid ass argument is this? I don't eat pork/chicken or other foods, then, right afterward, jump on a scooter and ride around in circles for the pure purpose of getting hit by car. Just because one activity is safer than another completely different activity (one which serves a different purpose), doesn't make it safe. Compare apples to apples. If your risk of getting a severe disease by eating US beef is higher than other foods, then US beef is more dangerous and perfectly reasonable to avoid, regardless of the fact that it may be safer than riding a scooter, running around in a thunderstorm, crossing a busy street with a blindfold, etc. October 29, 2009 carltanong@ Mr. Stanton's unimpressive statement by comparing scooter accident with mad cow disease proved and show us the true fact that American Beef and Cow Organs are "HIGH RISK" for our health to consume.Mr. Stanton, why not gift away your own American cow meats and organs to your own poor Americans who was starving with financial problem. October 29, 2009 M13@ patrick.devlin1@ wrote: And you think Taiwanese and Chinese food is safe? Or do you just import all your food from France and Sweden?Stanton is a bully and lacking in diplomatic skills. The best way to show him who is in charge is for consumers to avoid all American food. It is chemically contaminated, in my view, and the meat products full of harmful antibiotics and growth hormones. I never buy American produce. October 29, 2009 johnny.brian@ Beef has mad cow disease, pork has foot & mouth disease (swine flu), fruits and vegetables sprayed with insecticides, fish ate red tide, feathered livestock have avian flu, air with too much CO2 and smog, water and soil are contaminated with pollutants. What will we eat? Food of our survival? Really no choice, aren't we? October 29, 2009 mtsai16@ Little or no demand leads to eventual little or no supply.Eating fresh, wholesome Taiwanese fruits & vegetables safer than driving in the US or riding scooters in Taiwan: Taiwanese October 30, 2009 ludahai_twn@ Rather than looking at the facts of the safety of American beef, some politicians of BOTH political stripes would rather play to the masses who have not been properly educated to this issue. We are not talking about British beef -- that would be far more problematical. American beef is safe. If you don't want to eat it -- don't. However, for those who like to eat it, why shouldn't they be given both the option as well as factual information to make an informed decision? October 30, 2009 gbusa@ Mr. Stanton eats Angus beef from Australia, and he always thinks that is from USA. November 7, 2009 jjmcdonald29@ Feb 11, 2007 a Taiwan built notebook malfunctioned and burnt down a house in Biddeford, Maine, USA.August 18, 2006 a Taiwan built notebook malfunctioned and burnt down a house in South Venice, Florida, USA Sept 6, 2008 a Asian built XBOX burns down a house in Michigan, USA May 2009, HP Asian built notebook batteries are still be re-called due to fire hazard. Ban all Taiwan Electronic Products as dangerous and unsafe as these events are real. Maybe the US beef industry should start a campaign to scare US consumers about unsafe Taiwan products - after all there is more real evidence. November 24, 2009 giancarlo2@ patrick.devlin1@ wrote: Taiwan should do something about their traffic laws. Put up cameras and tell the police to do their jobs. Not a day goes by where I don't see 4 people on one scooter driving like maniacs without helmets on. If they don't want US beef don't eat it!Stanton is a bully and lacking in diplomatic skills. The best way to show him who is in charge is for consumers to avoid all American food. It is chemically contaminated, in my view, and the meat products full of harmful antibiotics and growth hormones. I never buy American produce. |
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