Taipei: Taiwan has suspended imports from three Vietnamese durian suppliers for one month following the discovery of shipments contaminated with pesticides banned in Taiwan, such as methidathion, dithiocarbamates, and carbofuran, according to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA).
According to Focus Taiwan, between March 15 and September 15, 22 out of 716 batches of Vietnamese durians failed inspections, primarily due to excessive pesticide residues and cadmium contamination. Liu Fang-ming, director of the TFDA’s Northern Taiwan Management Center, noted that since July, all Vietnamese durians have been subject to 100-percent border checks, a measure that will continue until October 22.
To further mitigate risks, imports from the implicated suppliers will be halted from September 26 to October 25, Liu stated. The three durian shipments were part of the TFDA’s recent list of border inspection violations, which also included 17 other food products, such as German collagen drinks and Australian mandarins. All non-compliant items were either returned or destroyed.
Additionally, a batch of white sesame seeds imported from China for a Michelin-recognized Hong Kong dessert brand tested positive for 0.04 ppm of chlorpyrifos, a pesticide not permitted under Taiwan’s residue standards. The 375-kilogram shipment was ordered to be returned or destroyed. Due to this being the importer’s first violation in six months, the sampling rate of its sesame imports will be increased to between 20 and 50 percent, while other products from the same importer will continue to undergo standard inspection.
