Discarding Single Sprouted Potatoes; Shih Chung-liang: Complies with International Standards
Concerns over imported US potatoes arose as lawmakers questioned discarding only sprouted ones. Health Minister Shih Chung-liang clarified that this follows scientific and international standards, just like in Japan.
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- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 13:53
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 14:01 (7 min after Published)
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Central News (CNA reporter Chen Chieh-ling, Taipei, 23rd) Quarantine regulations for US imported processing potatoes have garnered attention. Legislators believe discarding single sprouted potatoes poses food safety concerns. Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang stated this is based on science and international standards, just like neighboring countries such as Japan, and not the entire batch is destroyed.
Shih Chung-liang attended the plenary meeting of the Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee of the Legislative Yuan this morning to give a special report and take questions on the "Review of Cross-System Collaboration and Cohesion Mechanisms for Vulnerable Family Child Support Services and Child Protection Case Treatment." The quarantine regulations for imported US processing potatoes remained a focal point.
KMT legislator Chen Ching-hui pointed out that Premier Cho Jung-tai recently mentioned he would require customs to inspect whole containers, taking out every single potato to check. "But piece-by-piece inspection is fundamentally impossible," because the border inspection staff quota is only 105, with only 85 actually employed, making it hard to face the army of sprouted potatoes and inspect every single one.
Chen Ching-hui also mentioned that when the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture finds sprouting, rotting, or molding during border inspections or before entering the market, they destroy the whole potato. She questioned the safety of discarding only the sprouted potato and letting the rest pass. If this batch of processing potatoes, which has a very high probability of sprouting, causes a food safety crisis, the MOHW will hardly be absolved of blame, urging them to mend the fold.
Shih Chung-liang stated that the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) border inspection operational principle is that if a potato is found to have issues through testing, such as excessive pesticides, heavy metals, or solanine, the entire container of potatoes will be returned or destroyed. He reiterated that the FDA's border inspections are not piece-by-piece but sampling inspections.
Shih Chung-liang pointed out that "piece-by-piece visual inspection" is the quarantine business of the Ministry of Agriculture, aimed at confirming whether there are sprouted, rotten, or toxic potatoes. If a single sprouted potato is found, usually caused by uneven spraying of sprout inhibitors, only that sprouted potato will be discarded.
Shih Chung-liang said the ratio and standards of food safety testing, as well as follow-up handling methods, have not changed. Regarding the Ministry of Agriculture's quarantine, according to their explanation, if a potato appears sprouted, it will be sent to a designated area for culling, not to the processing plant. This practice is the same in other countries; for example, Japan also discards single potatoes rather than destroying the entire batch.
Shih Chung-liang expressed that regarding quarantine and testing methods for imported food, both sides formulate them based on scientific and international standards and must align with the world. If other countries also test Taiwanese agricultural products using their own non-scientific standards, Taiwanese agricultural products will be hard to export. We must base it on the same international guidelines to balance trade fairness and food safety. (Editor: Li Shu-hua) 1150423
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Shih Chung-liang attended the plenary meeting of the Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee of the Legislative Yuan this morning to give a special report and take questions on the "Review of Cross-System Collaboration and Cohesion Mechanisms for Vulnerable Family Child Support Services and Child Protection Case Treatment." The quarantine regulations for imported US processing potatoes remained a focal point.
KMT legislator Chen Ching-hui pointed out that Premier Cho Jung-tai recently mentioned he would require customs to inspect whole containers, taking out every single potato to check. "But piece-by-piece inspection is fundamentally impossible," because the border inspection staff quota is only 105, with only 85 actually employed, making it hard to face the army of sprouted potatoes and inspect every single one.
Chen Ching-hui also mentioned that when the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture finds sprouting, rotting, or molding during border inspections or before entering the market, they destroy the whole potato. She questioned the safety of discarding only the sprouted potato and letting the rest pass. If this batch of processing potatoes, which has a very high probability of sprouting, causes a food safety crisis, the MOHW will hardly be absolved of blame, urging them to mend the fold.
Shih Chung-liang stated that the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) border inspection operational principle is that if a potato is found to have issues through testing, such as excessive pesticides, heavy metals, or solanine, the entire container of potatoes will be returned or destroyed. He reiterated that the FDA's border inspections are not piece-by-piece but sampling inspections.
Shih Chung-liang pointed out that "piece-by-piece visual inspection" is the quarantine business of the Ministry of Agriculture, aimed at confirming whether there are sprouted, rotten, or toxic potatoes. If a single sprouted potato is found, usually caused by uneven spraying of sprout inhibitors, only that sprouted potato will be discarded.
Shih Chung-liang said the ratio and standards of food safety testing, as well as follow-up handling methods, have not changed. Regarding the Ministry of Agriculture's quarantine, according to their explanation, if a potato appears sprouted, it will be sent to a designated area for culling, not to the processing plant. This practice is the same in other countries; for example, Japan also discards single potatoes rather than destroying the entire batch.
Shih Chung-liang expressed that regarding quarantine and testing methods for imported food, both sides formulate them based on scientific and international standards and must align with the world. If other countries also test Taiwanese agricultural products using their own non-scientific standards, Taiwanese agricultural products will be hard to export. We must base it on the same international guidelines to balance trade fairness and food safety. (Editor: Li Shu-hua) 1150423
Stand with facts, your every sponsorship is the power to guard press freedom
Download the CNA "First Hand News" APP, immediately grasp the latest news
The text, pictures, and audio-visuals on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted or utilized without authorization.