Ractopamine Unapproved by U.N.’s Codex Commission

The Codex Alimentarius Commission - established by the U.N.’s Food and Ag Organization and World Health Organization - has failed to approve a science-based standard for ractopamine - a feed additive used to promote leanness in pork and beef. Ractopamine was evaluated and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and has been approved for use in 26 countries. However - with opposition from the European Union, China, Thailand and Russia - the additive has been blocked for non-scientific reasons outside the scope of the Codex. Those countries - except Russia - also ban pork imports from pigs fed ractopamine. National Pork Producers Council President Doug Wolf says U.S. pork producers are very disappointed that the Codex commission succumbed to the bullying of the countries that had no scientific reasons for opposing the standard adoption.

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