February 12, 2013
No. 9
Sales of seasonal New Year’s supplies and snacks continue to grow at markets
and retail outlets during the Lunar New Year holidays. In order to safeguard food
safety of the public, health authorities conducted spot checks on Mainland-imported
New Year food and supplies prior to the New Year holidays, during which they uncovered
excessive levels of citrinin in red yeast rice and other foods. The affected foods
were immediately banned from import, and in order to strengthen control on product
quality, the Mainland side was notified through contact windows established under
the Cross-Strait Food Safety Agreement.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) states that, since the signing of the Cross-Strait
Food Safety Agreement on November 4 of 2008 to December 31 of 2012, the two sides
have mutually reported 982 cases involving unsafe food between the Strait through
institutionalized contact windows established by each side. The reported items,
including Mainland-imported tremella with pesticide residues and abalone tainted
with prohibited veterinary drugs, were effectively stopped at the border.
Due to the fact that most Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) used by the Taiwanese
public comes from mainland China, the two sides have also signed the Cross-Strait
Agreement on Medical and Health Cooperation to ensure drug safety, focusing on the
establishment of CHM source management mechanisms and strengthening of CHM imports
and exports inspection. Through implementation methods negotiated between health
authorities on both sides, the Department of Health (DOH) on August 1, 2012, began
requiring companies applying to import 10 types of high-volume CHM from the Mainland—
including Chinese red dates, huangqi (Astragalus membranaceus), Chinese angelica
(Angelicae sinensis), licorice, rehmannia, chuanxiong (Wallich ligusticum), tuckahoe
(Wolfiporia extensa), white peony root (Paeonia lactiflora), Atractylodes macrocephala,
and eucommia bark—to attach inspection certificates issued by the Mainland to verify
that such items have been tested and conform to Taiwan standards on levels of abnormal
substances. With the implementation of CHM border management and screening measures
preventing import of substandard goods, the public may be assured when purchasing
CHM products.
According to DOH statistics, a total of 857 CHM inspections have been completed
and clearance approved as of December 31, 2012, out of which, Mainland-imported
products of the aforementioned CHM types totaled 4,596,019 kilograms, all with attached
inspection certificates conformed to Taiwan standards. Furthermore, Mainland-imported
CHM items underwent spot inspections at the Taiwan border, including 38,386 kilograms
of red dates, 41,768 kilograms of huangqi (Astragalus membranaceus), 16,396 kilograms
of Chinese angelica, and 29,846 kilograms of licorice. All of the tested products
passed the inspection.
People traditionally buy various types of poultry and meat products for personal
use or gifts during the Lunar New Year holidays. In order to rigorously control
the public's food safety, related agencies will not close or rest during the holiday
period. Health authorities across Taiwan will conduct even stricter and more intensive
random tests of various types of New Year's supplies on the market to ensure these
items conform to relevant food safety rules. The government will also maintain contact
with the Mainland side through windows established under the Cross-Strait Food Safety
Agreement and Cross-Strait Agreement on Medical and Health Cooperation in exchanging
information on cross-strait food and CHM safety, so as to ensure that the New Year's
supplies purchased are hygienic and safe. The MAC also hereby reminds consumers
to choose properly packaged and labeled products when purchasing New Year supplies,
for products with CAS and GMP quality food marks or clear and complete labeling
offer greater guarantees.