U.S. frozen beef tongues blocked at border over parasite detection

Taipei, Sept. 8 (CNA) Two shipments of frozen beef tongues imported from the United States were rejected at the border after testing positive for parasites, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) said Tuesday.

The affected shipments, imported by Shun Sen Co. weighed 179.2 kg and 276.8 kg, respectively, and were ordered either returned to their country of origin or destroyed, according to Liu Fang-ming (劉芳銘), director of the TFDA's Northern Taiwan Management Center.

Liu said the Sarcocystis parasites detected in the beef tongues are prohibited under Taiwan's general food hygiene standards, which do not allow parasites in food products.

Following the findings, the TFDA has placed the importer under a batch-by-batch inspection regime, requiring a 100-percent inspection rate for its future imports, Liu said.

A 100-percent border inspection regime for frozen beef tongues imported from the United States had already been in place since Nov. 2, 2009, Liu said.

The two beef tongue shipments were among 10 imported food products that failed the TFDA's latest border inspections.

Other rejected items included Kanpyo (dried gourd strips) from Japan, frozen coconut jelly from Thailand, chili peppers from China, non-dairy creamer from Malaysia, frozen fish from Seychelles and instant noodle crackers from Indonesia.

All were ordered returned or destroyed after failing inspections due to excessive pesticide residues or other violations.

Separately, the TFDA said it destroyed a 640-kg shipment of Vietnamese crab-flavored seasoning sauce imported by Ding Hsiun Southeast Asia International Trade Ltd. after it tested positive for Sudan I, an industrial dye banned from use in food under Taiwan's Food Safety and Sanitation Act.

According to TFDA statistics, only one out of 1,034 shipments of Vietnamese seasoning sauces inspected between Feb. 28 and Aug. 31 this year failed border inspections due to Sudan dye contamination.

Nonetheless, Taiwan has required 100 percent inspection of such imports from Vietnam for Sudan dye contamination since Sept. 2, and the measure will remain in place for a year.