Pesticide Standard Revisions Questioned for Loosening, TFDA: Scientific Evaluation
Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) refuted claims that pesticide residue standards were relaxed to align with the US-Taiwan Trade Agreement (ART). Director-General Chiang Chih-kang emphasized that revisions are based on scientific evaluation and are unrelated to trade negotiations.
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- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 16:21
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Shen Pei-yao, Taipei, May 5) Outside parties questioned whether the government relaxed pesticide residue standards with carcinogenic risks to align with the US-Taiwan Equivalent Trade Agreement (ART). Minister Jiang Chih-kang of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration today refuted these false accusations, emphasizing that the standard revisions are based on scientific evaluation and are unrelated to external trade negotiations.
Some public representatives questioned that to cooperate with the US-Taiwan Equivalent Trade Agreement (ART), the ruling party even gave up the bottom line of pesticide residues, massively relaxing 174 items of agricultural product pesticide residue standards, including Fipronil, Afufine, Acrinathrin, Tebufenpyrad, and Fosthiazate, some of which are even listed by the US Environmental Protection Agency as "having carcinogenic risk" pesticides.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration has sternly refuted these false accusations for two consecutive days. Director-General Jiang Chih-kang personally came forward today, inviting experts and agricultural representatives to jointly hold an ad hoc press conference, emphasizing that all standard revisions are based on scientific evaluation and current domestic and international control situations, having no relation to ART. Linking the two by outside parties is misleading.
Jiang Chih-kang pointed out that the maximum residue limits (MRL) for pesticides are dynamic revisions based on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), aiming to ensure farmers' legal and rational use of pesticides, belonging to administrative management technology. This is completely different from "toxicity standards" that cause acute poisoning.
Regarding the circulating claim of "loosening standards by hundreds of times," Jiang Chih-kang clarified that in the past, when no standards were set, "0.01ppm" was used as the detection limit. After scientific evaluation and the establishment of formal standards (such as 10 ppm) according to law, it cannot be directly regarded as "loosening by a thousand times." This is a serious misunderstanding of the management baseline.
In addition, regarding pesticides "Afufine" and "Tebufenpyrad," Jiang Chih-kang explained that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has not listed them as carcinogens; and the Codex Alimentarius Commission, as well as countries like the United States, Japan, and Australia, have already set MRLs. Taiwan has already approved their use, and after rigorous scientific risk assessment, they were submitted to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food Safety and Nutrition Advisory Committee for review and approval, and after consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture, the procedures for pre-announcement and announcement were carried out.
Jiang Chih-kang reiterated that the "Pesticide Residue Limits Standards" revised and announced by the TFDA on April 21, 115th year of the Republic of China (2026), "is a routine standard review and has nothing to do with ART." It is merely a routine, regular rolling review conducted according to existing regulations.
Professor Yen Rui-hong of the National Taiwan University Department of Agricultural Chemistry explained that pesticide residue standards are localized, needing to consider domestic climate, pest and disease needs, and dietary habits; MRL is a "management value" used to monitor whether farmers apply pesticides correctly, while what truly concerns long-term human health and safety is the "Acceptable Daily Intake" (ADI). When the government sets MRL, it conducts integral calculations to ensure that even if citizens consume multiple pesticide-residue foods, the total amount is still far below the ADI safety value.
Liao Ting-chuan, chairman of Hanguang Fruit and Vegetable Production Cooperative, also explained from the perspective of farmers that quick inspection technology using mass spectrometry has been introduced at production sites. Farmers send samples for inspection before harvesting, and if they do not meet standards, harvesting is delayed to ensure end consumers can eat with peace of mind. (Edited by Li Heng-shan) 1150505
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(Central News Agency reporter Shen Pei-yao, Taipei, May 5) Outside parties questioned whether the government relaxed pesticide residue standards with carcinogenic risks to align with the US-Taiwan Equivalent Trade Agreement (ART). Minister Jiang Chih-kang of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration today refuted these false accusations, emphasizing that the standard revisions are based on scientific evaluation and are unrelated to external trade negotiations.
Some public representatives questioned that to cooperate with the US-Taiwan Equivalent Trade Agreement (ART), the ruling party even gave up the bottom line of pesticide residues, massively relaxing 174 items of agricultural product pesticide residue standards, including Fipronil, Afufine, Acrinathrin, Tebufenpyrad, and Fosthiazate, some of which are even listed by the US Environmental Protection Agency as "having carcinogenic risk" pesticides.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration has sternly refuted these false accusations for two consecutive days. Director-General Jiang Chih-kang personally came forward today, inviting experts and agricultural representatives to jointly hold an ad hoc press conference, emphasizing that all standard revisions are based on scientific evaluation and current domestic and international control situations, having no relation to ART. Linking the two by outside parties is misleading.
Jiang Chih-kang pointed out that the maximum residue limits (MRL) for pesticides are dynamic revisions based on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), aiming to ensure farmers' legal and rational use of pesticides, belonging to administrative management technology. This is completely different from "toxicity standards" that cause acute poisoning.
Regarding the circulating claim of "loosening standards by hundreds of times," Jiang Chih-kang clarified that in the past, when no standards were set, "0.01ppm" was used as the detection limit. After scientific evaluation and the establishment of formal standards (such as 10 ppm) according to law, it cannot be directly regarded as "loosening by a thousand times." This is a serious misunderstanding of the management baseline.
In addition, regarding pesticides "Afufine" and "Tebufenpyrad," Jiang Chih-kang explained that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has not listed them as carcinogens; and the Codex Alimentarius Commission, as well as countries like the United States, Japan, and Australia, have already set MRLs. Taiwan has already approved their use, and after rigorous scientific risk assessment, they were submitted to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food Safety and Nutrition Advisory Committee for review and approval, and after consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture, the procedures for pre-announcement and announcement were carried out.
Jiang Chih-kang reiterated that the "Pesticide Residue Limits Standards" revised and announced by the TFDA on April 21, 115th year of the Republic of China (2026), "is a routine standard review and has nothing to do with ART." It is merely a routine, regular rolling review conducted according to existing regulations.
Professor Yen Rui-hong of the National Taiwan University Department of Agricultural Chemistry explained that pesticide residue standards are localized, needing to consider domestic climate, pest and disease needs, and dietary habits; MRL is a "management value" used to monitor whether farmers apply pesticides correctly, while what truly concerns long-term human health and safety is the "Acceptable Daily Intake" (ADI). When the government sets MRL, it conducts integral calculations to ensure that even if citizens consume multiple pesticide-residue foods, the total amount is still far below the ADI safety value.
Liao Ting-chuan, chairman of Hanguang Fruit and Vegetable Production Cooperative, also explained from the perspective of farmers that quick inspection technology using mass spectrometry has been introduced at production sites. Farmers send samples for inspection before harvesting, and if they do not meet standards, harvesting is delayed to ensure end consumers can eat with peace of mind. (Edited by Li Heng-shan) 1150505
Stand with the facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download CNA's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.