Taiwan health authorities have temporarily banned pork imports from the Netherlands over animal dioxin poisoning there, according to a report reaching Hong Kong from Taipei.

"Imports of pork and pig viscera from the Netherlands are suspended until the matter is clarified, and sales of those here are also banned," said a Taiwan health official yesterday.

The ban was imposed after suspected cases of pig and chicken dioxin poisoning were reported in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, he said.

Taiwan did not import chicken from the three countries, only pork from the Netherlands.

The three countries have isolated over 650 farms suspected of using dioxin-contaminated feed made in Belgium; the Netherlands has shut 260 farms.

A Brussels food safety official said flawed filters at a chemical plant sent high levels of dioxin to animal feed, but stressed there was no immediate danger to human health.

Dioxin, a byproduct of garbage burning and industrial activities, can cause cancer, metabolism malfunction and miscarriages.

(Shanghai Daily February 6, 2006)