Taiwan's Food Safety Under Scrutiny: Pesticide Residues Found in Produce

Imported Strawberries and Other Products Fail Safety Tests, Prompting Warnings and Fines

Taipei, Taiwan – The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has released the results of its pesticide residue monitoring program, revealing concerns about the safety of certain fruits and vegetables available in the market. The program, conducted between January and February, tested 716 products and found 102 to be non-compliant with existing regulations.

Among the non-compliant items were strawberries. One sample, sourced from Mia C'bon's store in Yonghe District's Beyond Plaza, was found to contain 0.06 parts per million (ppm) of the pesticide acrinathrin. According to Taiwanese law, acrinathrin residue is not permitted on strawberries.

Further investigations unveiled that Breeze Super in Taipei had sold strawberries with multiple banned or misused pesticides. These strawberries contained 1.26 ppm of isopyrazam and 0.31 ppm of norflurazon, neither of which are authorized for use on strawberries. Another violation was detected at Lopia's Chunri Road store in Taoyuan, where a sample showed 0.44 ppm of isopyrazam.

Wei Jen-ting (魏任廷), director of the TFDA's Southern Center, stated that suppliers involved were fined between NT$60,000 (US$1,972) and NT$240,000. Chian Her Fruit Co., the supplier for Breeze Super, received the most substantial penalty due to a previous violation within the past year.

The TFDA has issued recommendations to consumers to mitigate potential risks. They advise prioritizing seasonal produce, selecting fruits and vegetables with organic, certified agricultural standards (CAS), or traceability certifications. Additionally, consumers are urged to thoroughly rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before cutting or peeling them.