Imported Sea Urchin Roe Exceeds Cadmium Limits, Chinese Dried Chilies Detected with Sudan Dye at Border
Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration announced that imported chilled sea urchin roe from Canada, destined for a well-known rotating sushi chain, exceeded cadmium limits and dried chili from China was found to contain Sudan dye. All non-compliant products will be returned or destroyed.
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- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 12:28
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 12:31 (3 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 13:16 (44 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Zeng Yining, Taipei, 28th) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the list of imported products that failed border inspections. A well-known conveyor belt sushi operator's chilled sea urchin roe imported from Canada was found to have cadmium levels exceeding the standard. A total of 26.4 kilograms will be returned or destroyed according to regulations. Additionally, Chinese mainland dried chili peppers were again found to contain Sudan dye.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration today released its latest list of imported products that failed border inspections, with a total of 6 non-compliant items. These include Japanese imported cantaloupe, Spanish imported olive oil, Canadian imported chilled sea urchin roe, and Chinese mainland imported osmanthus, dried chili peppers, and sodium bicarbonate, which were found to have excessive heavy metals or pesticide residues. All were returned or destroyed.
This time, a famous chain operator was on the list. Liu Fangming, director of the FDA's Northern Management Center, explained to the media today that Genki Sushi Co., Ltd.'s imported 'chilled sea urchin roe' from Canada was detected with 0.5 milligrams of heavy metal cadmium per kilogram, exceeding the 'Sanitation Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food' which sets a maximum of 0.3 milligrams per kilogram. This batch of 26.4 kilograms must be returned or destroyed.
Liu Fangming explained that this is the first time Genki Sushi Co., Ltd. has failed an inspection in the past six months. For operators, the FDA adjusts to intensified batch inspections at the border, with the inspection ratio adjusted to 20% to 50%. For products of the same origin and same item code, if this is the first non-compliance in the past six months, general batch inspections will be maintained, with the ratio remaining at 2% to 10%.
Sudan dye was also detected again this time. Liu Fangming explained that one batch of Chinese mainland dried chili peppers, declared for import by 'Magic Fresh Food Co., Ltd.,' was detected with Sudan Red 3, a prohibited substance. This batch of 1 metric ton of product must be destroyed and cannot be returned.
Liu Fangming stated that this is the first non-compliance for this operator in the past six months. The FDA's statistics show that in the past six months, 76 batches of Chinese mainland dried chili peppers were declared for import, of which 3 batches failed inspection, with a non-compliance rate of 4.0%. The reasons were 1 batch with pesticide residues and 2 batches with Sudan dye.
Sudan Red Encyclopedia
It is a lipid-soluble azo aromatic compound, usually used as an industrial dye for oils, waxes, plastics, and other substances. It cannot be added to food, and long-term use can easily cause liver and kidney toxicity.
(Central News Agency reporter Zeng Yining, Taipei, 28th) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the list of imported products that failed border inspections. A well-known conveyor belt sushi operator's chilled sea urchin roe imported from Canada was found to have cadmium levels exceeding the standard. A total of 26.4 kilograms will be returned or destroyed according to regulations. Additionally, Chinese mainland dried chili peppers were again found to contain Sudan dye.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration today released its latest list of imported products that failed border inspections, with a total of 6 non-compliant items. These include Japanese imported cantaloupe, Spanish imported olive oil, Canadian imported chilled sea urchin roe, and Chinese mainland imported osmanthus, dried chili peppers, and sodium bicarbonate, which were found to have excessive heavy metals or pesticide residues. All were returned or destroyed.
This time, a famous chain operator was on the list. Liu Fangming, director of the FDA's Northern Management Center, explained to the media today that Genki Sushi Co., Ltd.'s imported 'chilled sea urchin roe' from Canada was detected with 0.5 milligrams of heavy metal cadmium per kilogram, exceeding the 'Sanitation Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food' which sets a maximum of 0.3 milligrams per kilogram. This batch of 26.4 kilograms must be returned or destroyed.
Liu Fangming explained that this is the first time Genki Sushi Co., Ltd. has failed an inspection in the past six months. For operators, the FDA adjusts to intensified batch inspections at the border, with the inspection ratio adjusted to 20% to 50%. For products of the same origin and same item code, if this is the first non-compliance in the past six months, general batch inspections will be maintained, with the ratio remaining at 2% to 10%.
Sudan dye was also detected again this time. Liu Fangming explained that one batch of Chinese mainland dried chili peppers, declared for import by 'Magic Fresh Food Co., Ltd.,' was detected with Sudan Red 3, a prohibited substance. This batch of 1 metric ton of product must be destroyed and cannot be returned.
Liu Fangming stated that this is the first non-compliance for this operator in the past six months. The FDA's statistics show that in the past six months, 76 batches of Chinese mainland dried chili peppers were declared for import, of which 3 batches failed inspection, with a non-compliance rate of 4.0%. The reasons were 1 batch with pesticide residues and 2 batches with Sudan dye.
Sudan Red Encyclopedia
It is a lipid-soluble azo aromatic compound, usually used as an industrial dye for oils, waxes, plastics, and other substances. It cannot be added to food, and long-term use can easily cause liver and kidney toxicity.