Carcinogenic Oil Detected at Border! Austrian Pumpkin Seed Oil Found with Excessive Benzo(a)pyrene; TFDA Orders Full Rejection and Destruction

The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) announced the latest border inspection results, identifying 15 non-compliant shipments. Among them, pumpkin seed oil imported by Ho-Szu-Teh Co., Ltd. from Austria was found to contain 2.5 ppb of benzo(a)pyrene—a carcinogenic substance recently drawing nationwide attention—exceeding the legal limit. As a result, the TFDA has placed Ho-Szu-Teh Co., Ltd. under 100% batch inspection at the border. Additionally, enhanced batch inspections (20% to 50%) will be conducted for all products classified as 'other fixed vegetable oils and their fractions' until December 31, 2026.

Last week, the TFDA intercepted 15 non-compliant food and product shipments at the border, including Japanese hairtail fish, Indonesian candlenuts, black sesame seeds from Cambodia, fresh thyme from France, frozen red scabbard fish from Seychelles, Indonesian raw crisp chips, PP dinner knives from mainland China, red curry powder from Malaysia, Senna obtusifolia extract from mainland China, biscuits from the Philippines, and chili rings from mainland China.

The TFDA reported that one batch of Malaysian red curry powder, imported by the company 'Private Home Curry & Fried Chicken,' tested positive for phosphine residue at 0.018 ppm. According to the 'Pesticide Residue Tolerance Standards,' phosphine—a fumigant—must not be detected in chili powder or pigeon peas, with a detection limit below 0.005 ppm. Consequently, 'Private Home Curry & Fried Chicken' has been placed under enhanced batch inspection at the border, with inspection rates increased to 20–50%.

Additionally, one batch of Austrian pumpkin seed oil, imported by 'Ho-Szu-Teh Co., Ltd.,' was found to contain 2.5 ppb of benzo(a)pyrene per kilogram. According to the 'Hygienic Standards for Contaminants and Toxins in Food,' the limit for benzo(a)pyrene in edible oils—whether for direct consumption or food processing—is 2.0 ppb per kilogram or less. As a result, 'Ho-Szu-Teh Co., Ltd.' has been placed under 100% border inspection. The TFDA will also continue enhanced batch inspections (20–50%) for all products categorized as 'other fixed vegetable oils and their fractions' until December 31, 2026.

Furthermore, one batch of Japanese hairtail fish, imported by 'Ace Kitchen Catering Co., Ltd.,' tested positive for malachite green—an animal drug—at 0.7 ppb. According to the 'Animal Drug Residue Standards,' malachite green must not be detected in fish meat. Consequently, 'Ace Kitchen Catering Co., Ltd.' has been placed under enhanced batch inspection at the border, with inspection rates increased to 20–50%.