Up to 75 percent of dried Brazilian Murill mushrooms in markets in Taipei and New Taipei City contain excessive levels of heavy metals, with some containing amounts five to 7.5 times higher than the legal maximum, the Consumers’ Foundation said on Monday.
The foundation in August randomly purchased 25 samples of dried mushrooms from sales channels in the cities — including hypermarkets, grocery stores, traditional markets, Chinese medicinal herb shops and online stores — 13 of which were shiitake mushroom samples and the other 12 Murill mushrooms, foundation inspector Ling Yung-chien (凌永健) said.
Nine of the latter 12 samples were found to contain levels of lead or cadmium higher than the standards set by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ling said.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
Among them, one contained lead levels greater than the legal maximum of 3mg/kg, he added.
Nine samples were found to have cadmium levels higher than the legal maximum of 2mg/kg, among which four even reached five to 7.5 times the maximum amount, Ling said.
Two samples, one of each species, were found to contain traces of chlorpyrifos and carbofuran, pesticides banned from mushroom farming, he said.
Long-term accumulation of lead might result in chronic poisoning, characterized by symptoms such as anemia, fatigue, psychomotor retardation, diarrhea, nausea and a loss of appetite, the foundation said, adding that lead might also cause hyperactivity or even brain damage in children.
Cadmium, which accumulates in the liver, kidneys and bones, might in high concentrations lead to kidney failure, it said.
High cadmium levels in the kidneys might also impede the body’s metabolism, leading to low levels of calcium and phosphorus, which raises the risk of osteoporosis and other bone diseases, the foundation said.
Ling said that the foundation has informed the businesses where it obtained the mushrooms, urging them to pay more attention when handling produce.
The results would also be sent to local authorities, he added.
The Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法) stipulates that food operators that fail to make improvements within a set time frame after failing in an inspection would be fined NT$30,000 to NT$3 million (US$1,039 to US$103,893).
The government should improve inspection protocols, the foundation said, adding that people should rather buy locally grown mushrooms instead of imported ones.
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