TAIPEI - Taiwan's executive authority has pledged not to relax the ban on the import of US beef that contains a lean meat-growth stimulant, local media reported Saturday.

The ban on US beef laced with ractopamine, a controversial feed additive used to promote lean meat growth in food animals, will not be lifted before relevant laws are amended, said a spokesman of the executive authority.

He said the island's agricultural bureaus will continue to collect opinions from experts, scholars, consumers and civil groups via seminars on the topic.

Taiwan's health department also plans to hold an international forum in April or May to learn foreign experts' view on the issue and conduct relevant research on its safety, risks and pharmacodynamics, as well as survey on public diet.