Taiwan Quick Take: Peanut candies probed

The Department of Health warned consumers on Thursday that brand names should be inspected carefully when buying peanut candies from food stores in order to avoid aflatoxin poisoning. Health officials said the department had tested 108 samples of peanut products from stores around the country and found 12 peanut candies -- all imported from Vietnam -- contained unacceptably high levels of aflatoxin. The officials noted that the amount of aflatoxin in some of the candy reached 240.4ppb (parts per billion), exceeding the 15ppb maximum limit set by the European Commission for peanuts and peanut products. They said the department had ordered the removal and destruction of all contaminated peanut candy from store shelves.