Fresh black truffles rejected at border over excessive cadmium levels

Taipei, May 26 (CNA) Three shipments of fresh black truffles imported from France and Bulgaria were rejected at Taiwan's border after tests found excessive levels of the heavy metal cadmium, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) said Tuesday.

The shipments, imported by two different companies, weighed a combined 4.3 kilograms and were either returned or destroyed before entering the market, the TFDA said in its weekly border inspection report.

According to Liu Fang-ming (劉芳銘), director of the TFDA's Northern Taiwan Management Center, the truffles were found to contain between 3 and 5 milligrams of cadmium per kilo, above the 2 mg per kg limit.

The TFDA said it will impose tighter inspection measures on the importers, Evergreen Engineering Co. and European Arcade Food.

Since 2024, Evergreen Engineering has reported seven other cases involving excessive pesticide residues or heavy metal contamination in its food products, and the TFDA will now require 100 percent of its imported shipments to be inspected, the agency said.

Over that same period, European Arcade Food has been linked to three cases of excessive cadmium levels in truffles, and after the latest incident, its products will be inspected at a 20-50 percent rate, the agency said.

The TFDA also reported that a shipment of paper containers imported from China failed migration tests, which show how likely the substances from the containers could find their way into items they hold.

The shipment of paper canisters was found to contain excessive levels of evaporation residue and chloroform-soluble substances, according to the TFDA.

A total of 134.4 kg of the products were ordered returned or destroyed, and the importer will now also face 100 percent border inspections, the agency said.