Ding Wang goji berries found with excessive pesticide residue, supplier to be fined

(CNA reporter Cheng Chi-feng, Kaohsiung, March 10) The Kaohsiung City Health Bureau said today that among samples taken of ingredients used to prepare the soup bases of Ding Wang Spicy Hot Pot and Wu Lao Guo, one sample of goji berries was found with excessive pesticide residue, and the supplier will be fined.

Ding Wang Spicy Hot Pot was exposed for using non-natural ingredients to prepare its soup base. On March 1, the Health Bureau dispatched personnel to inspect and take samples from the soup base preparation operators supplying Ding Wang Spicy Hot Pot, "Longwang Food Firm" in Kaohsiung's Sanmin District, and the soup base preparation operator supplying Ding Wang Wu Lao Guo, "Youming International Food Company" in Kaohsiung, taking 5 samples of soup base preparation ingredients from "Longwang Food Firm" and 10 from "Youming International Food".

The Kaohsiung City Health Bureau sent these 15 samples to the Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare for testing of pesticide residues, heavy metals and other items, and the test results came out in the evening.

According to the test results, all ingredients tested for heavy metals passed, while among the 15 samples tested for pesticides, one sample of goji berries was found with excessive pesticide residue, including Clofentezine at 0.03ppm, for which the standard is not detectable; Propargite at 0.06ppm, for which the standard is not detectable; and Tebuconazole at 0.02ppm, which is twice the standard of 0.01ppm.

The Health Bureau has required Youming International Food to remove the same batch of problematic goji berries from shelves and is investigating its upstream goji berry ingredient supplier, "Xinglianfa Trading Firm" on Dashun 1st Road in Kaohsiung. As of the evening, Youming International Food had removed 9 boxes, totaling 216 kg.

"Xinglianfa Trading Firm" said that this batch of goji berries was purchased in the 101st year of the Republic of China and no further purchases were made afterward, and there is now no stock remaining.

The Health Bureau will fine "Xinglianfa Trading Firm" in accordance with Article 15, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 5 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation and Article 44, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 2 of the same Act, with a possible fine of no less than NT$60,000 and no more than NT$50 million.

The Health Bureau said it will continue to trace the supply source and distribution of the problematic goji berries from "Xinglianfa Trading Firm" and impose fines according to the circumstances. 1030310