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Taipei inspected 59 produce samples; 9 had pesticide residues; lemons tested positive for the banned pesticide parathion

General News By Emily Carter 0 views

Following Greenpeace Taiwan's release of its latest report on pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables on the 14th, the Taipei City Department of Health yesterday (the 17th) released the results of pesticide residue testing on fresh fruits and vegetables for July. A total of 59 products were sampled, and pesticide residues were detected in 9 of them. Of those, 8 had residue levels within the safe tolerance standard, while a lemon product sold at the PX Mart Beitou Mingde store was found to contain the insecticide imidacloprid at 0.12 ppm (note), exceeding the standard of 0.01 ppm, as well as parathion at 0.08 ppm, which must not be detected at all. The product has been fully removed from shelves, while tracing of the source remains to be clarified.

The Taipei City Department of Health stated that the insecticide parathion has been officially announced by the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, as a pesticide banned from manufacture, processing and import since 1997. The insecticide imidacloprid is approved for use on small leafy vegetables, leafy head vegetables, fruit vegetables and other crops, but must not be used on lemons.

The Department of Health has required the vendor to immediately remove the product from shelves and stop selling it, and has referred the matter to the Kaohsiung City Government Department of Health, under whose jurisdiction the Qishan District Farmers' Association supplier falls, to investigate the farmer's pesticide application practices and handle the case in accordance with the law.

The Taipei City Government Department of Health particularly noted that food safety begins with control at the source, and that market sampling is end-point management. Only by implementing field monitoring at the source and strengthening guidance for farmers in production areas on the correct application of pesticides during cultivation can the problem of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables be effectively reduced.

First Case of Parathion Detected

On the other hand, the Kaohsiung City Agriculture Bureau said it had notified the supplying farmer and farmers' association to stop harvesting and marketing the product. The farmer denied purchasing or using the banned pesticide parathion. To be prudent, the Agriculture Bureau is conducting sampling for testing, and the probability of contamination by pesticides from neighboring farms is low. Because agricultural products on the market are easily mixed due to factors such as transport and allocation, the Agriculture Bureau does not rule out that the supply source is not a Kaohsiung City farmer.

The Plant Protection and Ecological Conservation Division of the Agriculture Bureau said that from January to August this year, 1,300 products had been sampled and tested in the field, with 95% meeting the standard. Most of the non-compliant cases involved excessive amounts, and this was the first case in which parathion was detected, dealing a severe blow to the image of Kaohsiung's agricultural production. The bureau attaches great importance to this case.

Rely on Thorough Washing to Remove Pesticide Residues

Ingesting parathion, in more serious cases, can cause increased respiratory secretions and irregular heartbeat. Other symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, constricted pupils, blurred vision and night sweats. The Taipei City Department of Health advises that to reduce the possible intake of pesticide residues from vegetables, the outer leaves should be removed when washing vegetables, the roots should first be rinsed with water to remove soil and sand, and the roots should be removed, then soaked in water for 10 to 20 minutes, followed by rinsing 2 to 3 times under running tap water, which can help remove residual pesticides.

In addition, the general public can also use methods such as cooking and choosing seasonal fruits and vegetables to reduce pesticide residues. When stir-frying, leaving the lid off the pan can also help pesticides disperse with the steam.

Strict Laws on Banned Pesticides: Do Not Break the Law Easily

The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine of the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, also issued a press release, saying it will make every effort to trace the source of the illegal chemicals. Under the Pesticide Management Act, those who manufacture, process or import banned pesticides may face a maximum prison sentence of up to 7 years; those who sell them may face a maximum prison sentence of up to 5 years; and users may face a maximum fine of NT$150,000.

As for those whose pesticide residue levels exceed the safe tolerance, under Article 11, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 5 and Article 31, Subparagraph 1 of the Act Governing Food Sanitation, a fine of no less than NT$60,000 and no more than NT$6 million shall be imposed.

The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine also encourages the public to actively report illegal activity by calling the toll-free reporting hotline 0800-039-131. The identity of informants will be kept confidential, and anyone whose report leads to a solved case may receive a reward of up to NT$500,000.

Produce Codes Allow Source Tracing; Sampling Methods Hold the Key

This matter may involve heavy penalties, so confirming the source is very important. Although the Qishan District Farmers' Association is already known, whether there was mixing "due to factors such as transport and allocation" requires understanding the production and marketing process as well as the sampling process and methods.

According to the reporter's understanding, both PX Mart and the Taipei City Government Department of Health stated that the data came from the Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Corporation. A spokesperson for Taipei Agricultural Products said that each agricultural product has a code and name that can be traced to the producer, and testing units can trace back to the farmer through the code and name.

Taipei Agricultural Products is a wholesale distribution center where agricultural products from across the country or imported are brought for centralized trading, so production data are used for identification, and each farmer's products are also separated by box. As for whether mixing occurs after entering the store, Taipei Agricultural Products was reserved. However, whether sampling is done from dedicated boxes or from goods mixed in the store, and whether the goods themselves can be identified by source, depends on the sampling method.

Note: 1 ppm = one part per million

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Also published simultaneously by the Environmental Information Center

 

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