570 kg of spice powder rejected at border for pesticide residue

Taipei, Jan. 21 (CNA) Shipments totaling 570 kilograms of spice powder from abroad were recently intercepted at the border for excessive pesticide residues, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) said Tuesday.

The five shipments of spices, four from the United Arab Emirates and the other from Malaysia, were found to contain multiple pesticides, including fipronil, thiamethoxam and tebuconazole, in excess of limits permitted by Taiwan, TFDA data showed.

Vijaya International Ltd., the operator of Indian food chain Mayur Indian Kitchen and importer of all five rejected shipments, will be subject to 100 percent inspections of its imports in the future, TFDA Deputy Director-General Lin Chin-fu (林金富) told CNA.

Meanwhile, three imports of fresh strawberries from Japan were stopped at the border due to excessive residues of the pesticides mepanipyrim, tetraniliprole and acrinathrin.

In the past six months, 465 shipments of strawberries have been examined at Taiwan's borders, with 11, or 2.4 percent, failing inspection, all due to pesticide residues, according to the TFDA.

Lin said strawberry imports from Japan will continue to be subject to batch-by-batch examinations until May 31.

Another 12 shipments of imported items were intercepted at the border in recent weeks, according to the TFDA's weekly report issued Tuesday on imported products that did not comply with Taiwan's food standards or regulations.

These include condiments, spices, produce and seafood from the Philippines, China, Vietnam and Chile, which were found with excessive pesticides, heavy metals, or additives, the TFDA report said.