Japanese Plastic Tea Saucers, Chinese Rubber Gloves Fail Inspection at Border; Korean Baby Rice Crackers Exceed Heavy Metal Limits

(Central News Agency reporter Tseng Yi-ning, Taipei, 12th) The Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) today announced the latest border inspection results: 1.5 kilograms of Japanese imported plastic tea saucers and 28.88 kilograms of Chinese imported rubber gloves both failed dissolution tests and were returned or destroyed at the border. Additionally, Korean imported baby rice crackers were found to have excessive heavy metals.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration today announced the latest list of non-compliant products from border inspections, totaling 10 items. These include Japanese blueberries, Vietnamese candied sweet potatoes, Chilean sea urchin roe, Ethiopian green beans, American soybeans, and Korean baby rice crackers, all of which were found to have excessive pesticides or other non-compliant conditions and were entirely returned or destroyed.

Among the non-compliant items was a batch of Japanese plastic tea saucers reported by the importer 'Kanazawa Bimi Co., Ltd.' Liu Fang-ming, director of the TFDA Northern Region Management Center, pointed out that the dissolution test, conducted with water at 95℃ for 30 minutes, showed a potassium permanganate consumption of 13 ppm, exceeding the regulated limit of 10 ppm or less. This batch, totaling 1.5 kilograms, must be returned or destroyed according to law.

Liu Fang-ming explained that failure in the dissolution test means that if the container comes into contact with highly acidic foods, harmful substances may leach out, making it unsuitable for use as a food container. The TFDA will also adjust 'Kanazawa Bimi Co., Ltd.' to enhanced random batch inspections at the border, with an inspection ratio of 20% to 50%.

Another batch of Chinese rubber gloves named 'TAMSAA,' reported by the importer 'Zenkai Tsushou Co., Ltd.,' was also non-compliant. Liu Fang-ming noted that dissolution tests conducted with water at 95℃ for 30 minutes and with 20% ethanol at 60℃ for 30 minutes showed evaporation residues between 65 and 66 ppm, exceeding the standard limit of 60 ppm or less. This indicates that impurities might leach out when in contact with food or alcohol.

Liu Fang-ming stated that this batch of Chinese rubber gloves, totaling 28.88 kilograms, must be returned or destroyed according to law. The TFDA will also adjust the importing company to enhanced random batch inspections at the border.

Additionally, Korean imported baby rice crackers were found to have heavy metal content exceeding the regulations. Liu Fang-ming pointed out that this batch, totaling 23.4 kilograms, was reported by the importer 'Kuang Fu Yuan Development & Marketing Co., Ltd.' and was found to have 0.047 mg/kg of heavy metal cadmium, exceeding the standard of 0.040 mg/kg. The entire batch will be returned or destroyed according to law, and the importer will be subject to enhanced random batch inspections. (Editor: Li Heng-shan) 1150512

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