TAIPEI, Oct 29, 2009 (AFP) - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou on Thursday insisted that US beef is safe amid criticism that his goverment ignored health risks to allow more imports.

"The results from the government's negotiations are sufficient to protect the people's health. The risks are minute," Ma said in a meeting with a group of businessmen.

"The government will make sure that all imported beef products have passed security checks," he said, according to a statement on the website of his office.

Taiwan's decision to relax curbs on US beef on the bone and cow organs last week sparked controversy due to concerns over mad cow diseases.

Taiwan banned all US beef imports in December 2003 after reports of mad cow disease on the island but it opened up to boneless beef imports in 2006 while keeping other offal restrictions in place.

Beef affected by the disease is feared to cause Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a human variant of mad cow disease.