Customs officials have blocked the entry of a shipment of lion’s mane mushrooms from China due to excessive levels of pesticides — the ninth such seizure in six months, Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Tuesday.
The lion’s mane mushrooms were one of 16 products stopped at the border after they were found to contain excessive amounts of pesticides or heavy metals, according to the FDA.
The FDA added that all of the tainted products had either been returned or destroyed before they could reach consumers.
According to Chen Ching-yu (???), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for Regional Administration, the agency has asked the relevant authorities in China to provide an explanation for the high levels of pesticides in the lion’s mane mushrooms by Aug. 3.
Chen added that a failure to comply would result in a ban on imports of the mushroom type from China.
Meanwhile, a 417-kilogram shipment of camellia oil was also seized for containing excessive levels of the carcinogen benzopyrene.
Other products to be returned or destroyed included 2,670 kilograms of lilies from China due to high levels of cadmium, as well as poplar mushrooms, cordyceps militaris fungi, frozen spinach, and daikon radish due to excessive amounts of pesticide residue.
Customs also seized instant noodles from the Indonesian brand Mie Sedaap and the Philippine brand Lucky Me! after they were found to contain banned chemicals.
Given that a shipment from Mie Sadaap was found to contain excessive amounts of pesticide residue in June, the FDA said it would step up inspection of the Indonesian company’s instant noodle imports from 5-10 percent to 20-50 percent.
The instant noodles from Lucky Me! contained the prohibited fungicide ethylene oxide, the FDA said, adding that since this was a second offense, all instant noodles from the company would be checked from now on.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel