Another Toxic Vegetable Alert! Two Popular Greens for Taiwanese Consumers Found with Pesticide Overruns; 46,000 kg Destroyed, Two Fruits Also Affected – Non-Compliant List Revealed

The Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Food and Drug Administration has announced that in its latest round of border inspections, multiple shipments of imported fresh produce were found to contain pesticide residues exceeding statutory limits. These include Japanese fresh honeydew melons, Vietnamese fresh durians, mainland Chinese fresh white radishes, and Indonesian fresh Chinese cabbage, with a cumulative total of tens of thousands of kilograms seized.

Additionally, Canadian frozen sea urchin roe imported by the well-known restaurant chain Zenshin was found to contain cadmium—a heavy metal—at 0.6 mg per kg, double the domestic legal limit of 0.3 mg per kg. U.S. frozen beef tongue was also found to contain Sarcocystis parasites. All non-compliant products have been fully intercepted and disposed of at the border, preventing entry into Taiwan’s market.

Seafood and Meat Inspection Findings: Zenshin’s Sea Urchin Contains Excessive Cadmium, U.S. Beef Tongue Infected with Parasites

Regarding fresh seafood and meat products, a batch of Canadian frozen sea urchin roe imported by Zenshin Corporation was tested and found to contain cadmium at 0.6 mg per kg. According to domestic regulations, the permissible limit for cadmium in such products is 0.3 mg per kg, meaning this shipment exceeded the legal standard by two times. Liu Fang-Ming, Director of the FDA’s Northern Regional Management Center, stated that this entire batch has been ordered to be returned or destroyed as per regulations. Furthermore, border inspection intensity for Zenshin has been immediately upgraded to 100% batch-by-batch examination, with sampling rates raised to 100%.

A shipment of U.S. frozen beef tongue imported by Shu Sen Development Corporation was found during inspection to contain Sarcocystis parasites. Liu explained that according to general food hygiene standards, no parasites should be detectable in any food product. Therefore, the entire shipment of beef tongue must also be returned or destroyed. The FDA has maintained strict monitoring inspections on U.S. frozen beef tongue since November 2, 2009, enforcing 100% full inspection. Following this detection, the comprehensive audit mechanism will continue to be rigorously implemented.

Pesticide Overruns in Imported Produce from Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia? Multiple Shipments Blocked at the Border

The published agricultural list also includes numerous imported fruits and vegetables from various countries that were detained due to pesticide residues exceeding legal allowances. Two shipments of fresh honeydew melons imported by Dong He Fruit Co., Ltd. from Japan, both manufactured by ICHIBAN CO., LTD., were flagged. A 264 kg batch tested positive for sulfuramid at 0.02 ppm (legal limit: 0.01 ppm), while another 288 kg batch showed iprodione at 0.07 ppm (legal limit: 0.01 ppm).

A 14,123 kg shipment of fresh durians imported by Wu Guo Duo Trading Co., Ltd. from Vietnam, branded as “Red Emperor,” tested positive for propiconazole at 0.03 ppm (legal limit: 0.01 ppm). A 26,600 kg shipment of fresh white radishes imported by Yi Li Shun Co., Ltd. from mainland China was found to contain clothianidin at 0.10 ppm (legal limit: 0.02 ppm) and thiacloprid at 0.31 ppm (legal limit: 0.25 ppm). Another 20,250 kg shipment of fresh Chinese cabbage imported by Shun Da Yi Trading Co., Ltd. from Indonesia tested positive for diclomezine at 0.35 ppm, far exceeding the 0.05 ppm limit for leafy vegetables.

All the above produce from various countries violated Article 15 of Taiwan’s Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act and have been fully processed for return or destruction as required, preventing them from entering Taiwan’s consumer market.