A random inspection of 55 hotpot ingredients resulted in 10 failing the tests as they contained excessive pesticide residues, preservatives or aflatoxin, the Taipei Department of Health said yesterday.
Department chief secretary Chiu Hsiu-yi (邱秀儀) said that with weather turning cooler, the department last month conducted random tests of hotpot ingredients — a popular fare especially during winter in Taiwan.
The 55 items were: 15 types of vegetables that are at a higher risk of containing pesticide residues, 15 frozen hotpot processed foods, 10 meat products, five seafood items, five soybean products and five peanut powder.
Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times
They were tested for veterinary drug residues, animal ingredients, heavy metal substances, pesticide residues, food additives and fungal toxins, she said.
Five vegetables (three bok choy and two scallions) were found with pesticide residue levels exceeding maximum residue levels (MRLs), two peanut powder items had excessive levels of aflatoxins and three tofu products contained the preservative benzoic acid, Lee said
Most of the items that failed the inspections were taken from hotpot restaurants: bok choy from a Mo-Mo-Paradise branch contained three types of pesticides exceeding the MRLs; a peanut powder provided by Tian La Ma La (天辣麻辣) hotpot restaurant had excessive levels of aflatoxins; and a tofu from a Xin Dian Hotpot (辛殿麻辣鍋) contained benzoic acid, department data showed.
The items have been removed from the shelves and the department has notified its counterparts in other cities and counties where some of the items were produced.
As two of the three tofu items had no labels indicating where they were sourced, the two restaurants were each fined NT$30,000 (US$976).
“We urge farmers to use pesticides appropriately to reduce the risk of excessive residues,” Lee said. “We also encourage consumers to buy seasonal fruit and vegetables and wash them with running water, especially the roots and the stems, soak them for about 10 to 20 minutes and wash them again with running water before cooking, preferably with the pot not covered.”
Aflatoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by certain fungi that are often found in agricultural crops, such as peanuts, corn, rice, oat and nuts, and Taiwan’s high humidity and temperatures are conducive to their reproduction, so consumers should buy such products from reputable brands, check if their packaging is intact and store them in a dry place after opening, she said.
While benzoic acid is a legal food preservative, they cannot be used in soybean products, such as tofu, frozen tofu and soymilk, Lee said.
Excessive intake of the substance may cause diarrhea, abdominal pain and a rapid heartbeat, but it is soluble in water, so drinking plenty of water can help flush it out of the system, she said.
Theaters and institutions in Taiwan have received 28 threatening e-mails, including bomb threats, since a documentary critical of China began being screened across the nation last month, the National Security Bureau said yesterday. The actions are part of China’s attempts to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty, it said. State Organs (國有器官) documents allegations that Chinese government officials engage in organ harvesting and other illegal activities. From last month to Friday last week, 28 incidents have been reported of theaters or institutions receiving threats, including bomb and shooting threats, if they did not stop showing the documentary, the bureau said. Although the threats were not carried out,
‘GRAY ZONE’ TACTICS: China continues to build up its military capacity while regularly deploying jets and warships around Taiwan, with the latest balloon spotted on Sunday The US is drawing up contingency plans for military deployments in Japan and the Philippines in case of a Taiwan emergency, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported. They would be incorporated in a first joint operation plan to be formulated in December, Kyodo reported late on Sunday, citing sources familiar with Japan-US relations. A US Marine Corps regiment that possesses High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems — a light multiple rocket launcher — would be deployed along the Nansei Island chain stretching from Kyushu to Yonaguni near Taiwan, Kyodo said. According to US military guidelines for dispatching marines in small formations to several locations,
As Taiwan celebrated its baseball team’s victory in the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Premier12 on Sunday, how politicians referred to the team in their congratulatory messages reflected the nation’s political divide. Taiwan, competing under the name Chinese Taipei (中華台北隊), made history with its first-ever Premier12 championship after beating Japan 4-0 at the Tokyo Dome. Right after the game, President William Lai (賴清德) congratulated the team via a post on his Facebook page. Besides the players, Lai also lauded the team’s coaching and medical staff, and the fans cheering for them in Tokyo or watching the live broadcast, saying that “every
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday confirmed that Chinese students visiting Taiwan at the invitation of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation were almost all affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). During yesterday’s meeting convened by the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) asked whether the visit was a way to spread China’s so-called “united front” rhetoric, to which MAC Deputy Ministry Shen You-chung (沈有忠) responded with the CCP comment. The MAC noticed that the Chinese individuals visiting Taiwan, including those in sports, education, or religion, have had increasingly impressive backgrounds, demonstrating that the
RSS