A shipment of Chinese mitten crabs from China was found to contain dioxin concentrations 2.6 times higher than the safety limit, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday.
The 14.7-tonne consignment of tainted crabs was intercepted at the border early last month and had been returned or destroyed before they could reach local markets, it said.
Samples of the crabs showed a dioxin level equivalent to 9.2 picograms per gram (pg/g) wet weight and polychlorinated biphenyl level equivalent to 10.6pg/g, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Deputy Director-General Lin Chin-fu (林金富) said.
Photo courtesy of the Food and Drug Administration
These values exceeded the safety limits by 2.6 and 1.6 times respectively, he said.
Taiwan had certified 31 China-based aquafarms for exports of Chinese mitten crabs to the nation and failing a safety test would result in decertification, he said, adding that this means the list of authorized importers has dwindled to 16.
Citing FDA regulations, Lin said imported Chinese mitten crabs are tested for 65 types of substances, including veterinary drugs, heavy metals and dioxin.
The crabs can be temporarily stored in designated facilities if testing takes more than five days, he added.
Imported parcels that failed safety inspection are returned to their place of origin or destroyed, Lin said.
The nation’s safety mechanisms for imported Chinese mitten crabs are well-established and the public can safely consume any that had been allowed for sales domestically, he said.
According to Fisheries Agency data, China exported 387.5 tonnes of mitten crabs to Taiwan in 2017 before widely reported scandals involving dioxin contamination in the following year reduced the amount to 200.7 tonnes.
China in 2019 exported 174.3 tonnes of the crabs and more than 250 tonnes each year from 2020 to 2022, when 6.4 tonnes were rejected for containing excessive dioxin levels, and another 211.5 tonnes last year, the records showed.
Experts warn that dioxin consists of 419 chemical compounds and is a confirmed carcinogen.
Short-term exposure to high doses can cause skin disorders and liver damage, while long-term low-dose exposure might increase the risk of cancer, damage the immune system and pose risks to pregnant women, experts said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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