Ensuring Safe Consumption for the Public During Dragon Boat Festival: Yunlin Health Bureau Conducts Food Inspection and Sampling

As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, the Yunlin County Health Bureau, in order to ensure the public's dietary safety and hygiene, mobilized 20 township, town, and city health centers in early May to launch the "Dragon Boat Festival Food Inspection and Sampling Project," conducting inspections at zongzi specialty manufacturing shops, hypermarkets, traditional markets, dried goods stores, and online Dragon Boat Festival food manufacturers.

For the Dragon Boat Festival food inspection, the Yunlin County Health Bureau sampled various zongzi, salted egg yolks, dried shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, pork, dried radish, sweet chili sauce, and other related products, totaling 38 samples. The test items included: veterinary drug residues, multi-pesticide residue analysis, Sudan dyes, preservatives, coliform bacteria, sulfur dioxide (bleaching agent), hydrogen peroxide, and boric acid and its salts, among others. The test results showed that 1 "meat zongzi" sample was found to contain the preservative sorbic acid at 0.054g/kg, and another sample was found to contain the preservative benzoic acid at 0.047g/kg, suspected of non-compliance with regulations. After investigation and traceability, 1 sample was from a manufacturer in another county or city and has been transferred to the competent health bureau for handling, while the other product was from a manufacturer within the county and will be handled in accordance with the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. The rest were all in compliance with regulations.

The Yunlin County Health Bureau urges the public to pay attention to moderation when enjoying the delicious taste of zongzi, to eat them together with vegetables and fruits for a balanced diet, not to eat them excessively if they have poor gastrointestinal health, and for those with diabetes and cardiovascular disease to reduce their selection of meat zongzi containing too much fatty meat, added egg yolk, or stir-fried with lard. When eating zongzi, they should consume dipping sauce in small amounts, so that this year's Dragon Boat Festival can be nutritionally balanced, healthy without burden, and safe. If consumers have any food hygiene and safety issues, they can call the Food Hygiene Section hotline at 05-5339730 for inquiries.