South Korean chili powder, pickles seized at Taiwan border

Taipei, June 4 (CNA) Two batches of chili powder and pickles imported from South Korea have been blocked from entering Taiwan due to the presence of pesticide residues and excessive preservatives.

In a statement Tuesday, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) said that the products were promptly returned or destroyed and did not enter the local market.

According to the TFDA, the two batches were among eight products, including Vietnamese cabbage and Malaysian traditional bone tea soup base, stopped at the border in March and April.

All the items flagged for exceeding pesticide limits or other quality issues were returned or destroyed, the TFDA said.

One case involved the Korean e-commerce operator Coupang Inc., which imported "Korean Pepper Powder" from South Korea.

The batch was found to contain pesticide residues, including 0.17 parts per million (ppm) of flonicamid, 0.37 ppm of etofenprox, and 1.3 ppm of tebuconazole, violating regulations. The entire batch weighed 108.90 kilograms, the TFDA said.

In addition, pickles imported from South Korea were found to contain an excessive amount of sorbic acid (0.25 grams per kilogram), the TFDA said.

A total of 720 kilograms of pickles were returned or destroyed. The importing company, ISAAC Toast & Coffee Taiwan, violated regulations for the first time, prompting adjustments to enhance inspections for products from the same origin and batch, according to the TFDA.

The TFDA conducts strict monitoring and inspections of chili and related products, regardless of country of origin, the agency's Deputy Director-General Lin Chin-fu (林金富) told CNA.

Each batch undergoes full testing for Sudan dyes and pesticides, with only compliant products allowed for release. This rigorous inspection process is expected to continue until March 5 next year, Lin said.

Statistics from the TFDA reveal that out of 43 batches of Korean chili powder tested between Nov. 27 of last year and May 27 of this year, six batches (around 13.95 percent) were found to be noncompliant.

Due to the relatively high noncompliance rate, Taiwanese authorities initially requested that South Korea provide an explanation for the noncompliant results and propose corrective measures by May 27, Lin said.

However, the Korean side said they were still investigating and requested an extension until June 30, which was granted, Lin added.