Fipronil Detected in Imported Vegetables from Well-Known Retailer; Entire Shipment Intercepted at Border

(Central News Agency reporter Chen Chieh-ling, Taipei, July 14) The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) today released its latest list of border inspection violations, including a shipment of frozen mixed vegetables imported by the well-known American retail chain Costco. One batch from the United States was found to contain pesticide residues, including fipronil, exceeding permissible limits. Approximately 10,756 kilograms were fully returned or destroyed, with no products entering the domestic market.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration today announced the latest list of products failing border inspections. A total of 10 products were found non-compliant, including Thai lettuce, Chinese echinacea extract, Malaysian white peppercorns, fresh Vietnamese durian, and Japanese cantaloupe. These were rejected due to excessive preservatives or pesticide residues and were either returned or destroyed as required.

Liu Fang-ming, Director of the TFDA's Northern Regional Management Center, explained to the media today that one batch of frozen mixed vegetables imported by the importer 'Costco Wholesale Taiwan Co., Ltd.' was found to contain pesticide residues: 0.06 ppm of dimethoate and 0.01 ppm of omethoate in peas, and 0.002 ppm of fipronil in broccoli.

According to the 'Pesticide Residue Tolerance Standards,' the insecticides dimethoate and omethoate must not be detected, meaning levels must remain below the method's quantitation limit of 0.01 ppm. For fipronil and its metabolites, the regulatory tolerance is set at the method's quantitation limit of 0.001 ppm.

The shipment of U.S. frozen mixed vegetables weighed approximately 10,756 kilograms. Liu stated that non-compliant products must be returned or destroyed. This marks the first non-compliant case involving this importer within the past six months. As a result, the TFDA has upgraded border inspections for 'Costco Wholesale Taiwan Co., Ltd.' to enhanced batch sampling, with inspection rates increased to 20%–50%.

Liu added that the total volume of products from the same U.S. origin and lot number declared over the past six months was exactly 10,756 kilograms. Since this is the first non-compliant case in the past six months, inspections for other products from the same origin and lot will remain at standard sampling levels of 2%–10%.

Additionally, the TFDA announced other border inspection failures today, including two batches of cheese imported from France that tested positive for excessive coliform bacteria and were required to be returned or destroyed. The first batch, declared by importer 'Tung Yuan International Co., Ltd.,' showed coliform levels of 15 and 23 most probable number (MPN) per gram in three out of five samples.

Liu further explained that the second batch, declared by 'Maurer Co., Ltd.,' showed coliform levels of 460, 1,100, and greater than 1,100 MPN per gram across the five samples.

According to the 'Microbiological Hygiene Standards for Foods,' for cheese products, no more than two out of five samples may show coliform levels between 10 and 100 MPN per gram, and no sample may exceed 100 MPN per gram.

The two batches of French cheese weighed 1.8 kg and 1.6 kg, respectively. As they violated regulations, they were fully returned or destroyed. Liu stated that the TFDA has adjusted border inspections for both 'Tung Yuan International Co., Ltd.' and 'Maurer Co., Ltd.' to 100% batch inspection.

TFDA statistics show that from January 6 to July 6, 115 (Taiwan calendar year), a total of 1,482 batches of other cheeses from France were declared for inspection, with 5 batches failing (a 0.3% failure rate), all due to excessive coliform bacteria.

Liu stated that since June 9, 115, the TFDA has implemented enhanced batch sampling inspections (20%–50%) for other cheeses from France, continuing through August 13, 115. (Editor: Lee Heng-shan) 1150714