Taipei City spot-tests produce for residue: 11.3% fail, green beans found with 3 unqualified pesticides

Text / Taipei City Department of Health

The Taipei City Government Department of Health regularly conducts random inspections of fresh fruits and vegetables for pesticide residues at fruit and vegetable retailers, supermarkets, wholesale markets and restaurants. In March of ROC year 106, a total of 80 fruit and vegetable products were sampled, and 9 failed to meet regulations, an unqualified rate of 11.3%. See the sampling list for details.

In this round, 80 fruit and vegetable products were sampled and tested for pesticide residues. The results showed that 8 products - "snap bean", "chili pepper", "strawberry", "seeded lemon", "locally grown celery", "bok choy" and 2 items of "papaya" - each tested positive for 1 pesticide residue that failed to meet regulations; "green bean" tested positive for 3 pesticide residues that failed to meet regulations.

The highest unqualified rate was among legume vegetables at 66.7% (such as green bean and snap bean), followed by fruit vegetables at 20.0% (such as chili pepper) and large berries and small berries at 16.7% (such as papaya and strawberry). The pesticide residues detected above were carbofuran, fenbuconazole, fipronil, cypermethrin, pendimethalin, bifenthrin, bifenazate, flonicamid, carbaryl, dimethoate and procymidone.

For products that failed to meet regulations, the Taipei City Department of Health has ordered the sampling locations to remove them from shelves and stop selling them. Where the source of the product was traced to another county or city, the matter has been referred to the health bureau of the county or city concerned; where the source was in Taipei City, an investigation confirmed the violation, and action has been taken under the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. Where pesticide residues exceed the "Standards for Pesticide Residue Limits in Foods", this violates Article 15, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 5 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, and under Article 44, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 2 of the same Act, a fine of not less than NT$60,000 and not more than NT$200 million may be imposed.

The Taipei City Department of Health calls on farmers to apply pesticides to fruits and vegetables in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and reminds the public that before eating or cooking fruits and vegetables, they should first rinse the roots or stem ends with running clean water, then soak in water for 10-20 minutes, and then rinse 2 to 3 times with running tap water, which can help remove residual pesticides. In addition, consumers can also reduce pesticide residues by cooking and choosing fruits and vegetables in season; when stir-frying, leaving the lid open can also help pesticides disperse with the steam.