Ministers of Agriculture and Health Welfare Eat Potato Chips, Reaffirming Dual Safeguards for Imported Potatoes

Central News Agency

(Central News Agency reporter Wu Hsin-yun, Tseng Yi-ning, Taipei, April 25) The import quarantine standards for processed potatoes from the United States have recently garnered significant attention. Today, Minister of Agriculture Chen Chun-ji and Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang appeared together in a video enjoying potato chips, reiterating that they will absolutely not allow sprouted potatoes to be imported and will jointly guard against them.

Following the February Taiwan-U.S. equivalent trade agreement (ART), the Ministry of Agriculture added "Import Quarantine Conditions for Processed Potatoes Produced in the U.S.", which sparked public concerns about food safety. Shih Chung-liang and Chen Chun-ji today jointly filmed a video and enjoyed potato chips, emphasizing that "sprouted potatoes will absolutely not be allowed for import."

Chen Chun-ji stated that processed potatoes must obtain a quarantine certificate issued by a U.S. quarantine authority before export, confirming that the batch has been treated with a sprout inhibitor. In the U.S., if sprouting, attached soil, or pests are found, they cannot be exported to Taiwan. When potatoes arrive in Taiwan, businesses must apply to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ) for border inspection. BAPHIQ will also check for attached soil, pests, or sprouting. The overall sampling rate is 60%.

Shih Chung-liang added that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will conduct sampling inspections at the border based on product risks. Inspection items include pesticide residues, heavy metals, total glycoalkaloids, and solanine, which is of public concern. If any inspection fails, the product will be required to be returned or destroyed. If potatoes are sprouted or rotten, businesses will be required to submit an improvement plan, and the FDA will supervise the businesses in sorting out rotten and moldy potatoes or returning/destroying the entire batch.

Chen Chun-ji emphasized that if BAPHIQ finds sprouted potatoes, it will require businesses to submit an improvement plan, including returning or destroying the entire container or sending the entire batch of potatoes under seal to a designated quarantine area. Under BAPHIQ's supervision, businesses will sort and inspect each batch, each container, and each potato, destroying any unqualified potatoes completely so that they do not enter the processing chain or the market.

Chen Chun-ji also clarified that the rumor that only sprouted parts need to be cut off for market entry is incorrect.

Shih Chung-liang said that when BAPHIQ discovers sprouted potatoes, it will also notify the FDA to strengthen sampling inspections. The government's limits on solanine have not changed; if they are exceeded, the entire batch will be destroyed or returned. "Quarantine and food safety are dual safeguards, a relay of safeguards."

Shih Chung-liang also attended the opening ceremony of the "2026 Taiwan Surgical Association Annual Meeting and Joint Surgical Academic International Conference" today and was asked whether the residual standards for potato sprout inhibitors should align with the EU's ban.

Shih Chung-liang explained that the commonly used sprout inhibitor "Chlorpropham" is a pesticide. Like heavy metals, various pesticide residues, and total glycoalkaloids (including solanine and chaconine), it is currently included in the FDA's border inspection items. The established residual standard, 30ppm, is consistent with the Codex Alimentarius Commission and similar to countries such as the United States, Japan, and Australia.

Shih Chung-liang pointed out that if standards differ among countries, it would cause many problems and inconveniences in trade. Therefore, domestic inspection standards have always aimed to align with international ones to avoid mutual trade barriers.

Regarding the carcinogenic risk of this pesticide, Shih Chung-liang analyzed that the World Health Organization (WHO)'s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) or related organizations have not classified Chlorpropham as a carcinogen. The EU, however, adopted very high standards, believing that "risks cannot be excluded," and therefore imposed the strictest restrictions. The Ministry of Health and Welfare will closely monitor international trends and make adjustments when necessary. (Edited by Lee Heng-shan) 1150425