Taipei: Feed used at a Yunlin County farm linked to a recent dioxin-contaminated sheep meat case was found to contain the toxin, according to test results released by the county government. Officials are collaborating with central government agencies to trace the origin of the contaminated feed, as it was sourced from multiple suppliers.
According to Focus Taiwan, Yunlin County Agriculture Department Director Wei Sheng-de revealed that the feed contained 0.353 picograms of toxic equivalency (TEQ) of dioxins per gram (pg TEQ/g). While Taiwan does not have a regulatory limit for dioxins in animal feed, this level is slightly above the European Union's action threshold of 0.3 pg TEQ/g in wet weight for fruits and vegetables. All other samples tested showed no abnormalities.
Wei stated that the farm owner, surnamed Lee, provided inconsistent accounts regarding the feed's source. As a result, authorities will work with the Ministry of Environment and other central government agencies to determine its origin. He added that the detected dioxin level in the feed does not directly correspond to the concentration found in the sheep, as toxin absorption varies among animals. This explains why a relatively low concentration in the feed could still result in higher levels in the contaminated meat.
Wei emphasized that this incident is an isolated case, noting that Lee is not a professional sheep farmer, and all eight sheep he owned have been culled and will not enter the market. The issue surfaced on July 25 following a food safety inspection on July 6, which revealed that sheep meat from Lee's farm contained 4.6 picograms of dioxins per gram of fat (pg/g fat), surpassing Taiwan's legal limit of 2.5 pg/g fat. The test results were made public on July 22, and authorities confirmed that none of the contaminated meat entered the market.
The sheep were slaughtered under the name of Yun Nong Farm, leading authorities to preemptively remove four metric tons of dairy products made by the Chianan Goat Milk Farmers' Cooperative from shelves, as they contained milk sourced from the farm. However, prosecutors later determined that Lee allegedly used Yun Nong Farm's name without authorization and forged its Livestock Health Declaration Certificates. He is currently under investigation by the Yunlin District Prosecutors' Office.
Tests conducted at Yun Nong Farm found no abnormalities, and the farm has since been cleared to resume operations. The county government plans to convene a meeting with sheep farmers, the Chianan Goat Milk Farmers' Cooperative, and other stakeholders to discuss measures to restore public confidence in sheep and goat products following the incident.