The Kaohsiung Department of Health yesterday said it had issued a recall for tilapia fillets after an inspection found traces of a banned veterinary drug in samples of the fish.
The fish fillets were supplied by a cooperative in Yunlin county to 369 PX Mart branches across the nation, with 13,793 pieces sold, the PX Mart said, adding that only 1,831 pieces were recalled.
The recall order was issued on Thursday, after samples of the fish taken from a PX Mart in Lujhu District (蘆竹) tested in October were found to contain 0.028 parts per million of enrofloxacin.
Photo courtesy of the Nantou County Public Health Bureau
Enrofloxacin is a bactericide that is legally permitted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for animal use, but is not approved for aquatic products.
The health department said it found that 24 packets of the tainted tilapia fillets had been sold at the Lujhu store, and instructed the head office of the supermarket chain to pull the product from PX Mart store shelves immediately and ask customers to return the fish they bought.
Customers who purchased the fish can ask for a refund or a replacement by presenting their receipts, the bureau said.
As the fish was supplied by Yunlin County, its Public Health Bureau has been notified of the problem, the department said.
The FDA said excessive ingestion of enrofloxacin could cause an upset stomach or result in kidney problems.
Additional reporting by Huang Shu-li
The US government has signed defense cooperation agreements with Japan and the Philippines to boost the deterrence capabilities of countries in the first island chain, a report by the National Security Bureau (NSB) showed. The main countries on the first island chain include the two nations and Taiwan. The bureau is to present the report at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee tomorrow. The US military has deployed Typhon missile systems to Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture and Zambales province in the Philippines during their joint military exercises. It has also installed NMESIS anti-ship systems in Japan’s Okinawa
TRAGEDY STRIKES TAIPEI: The suspect died after falling off a building after he threw smoke grenades into Taipei Main Station and went on a killing spree in Zhongshan A 27-year-old suspect allegedly threw smoke grenades in Taipei Main Station and then proceeded to Zhongshan MRT Station in a random killing spree that resulted in the death of the suspect and two other civilians, and seven injured, including one in critical condition, as of press time last night. The suspect, identified as a man surnamed Chang Wen (張文), allegedly began the attack at Taipei Main Station, the Taipei Fire Department said, adding that it received a report at 5:24pm that smoke grenades had been thrown in the station. One man in his 50s was rushed to hospital after a cardiac arrest
PUBLIC SAFETY: The premier said that security would be tightened in transport hubs, while President Lai commended the public for their bravery The government is to deploy more police, including rapid response units, in crowded public areas to ensure a swift response to any threats, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after a knife attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei the previous day. Lai made the remarks following a briefing by the National Police Agency on the progress of the investigation, saying that the attack underscored the importance of cooperation in public security between the central and local governments. The attack unfolded in the early evening on Friday around Taipei Main Station’s M7 exit and later near the Taipei MRT’s Zhongshan
ON ALERT: Taiwan’s partners would issue warnings if China attempted to use Interpol to target Taiwanese, and the global body has mechanisms to prevent it, an official said China has stationed two to four people specializing in Taiwan affairs at its embassies in several democratic countries to monitor and harass Taiwanese, actions that the host nations would not tolerate, National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said yesterday. Tsai made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, which asked him and Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) to report on potential conflicts in the Taiwan Strait and military preparedness. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) expressed concern that Beijing has posted personnel from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office to its
RSS