Several imported food items, including tea and coffee beans, were recently blocked at the border after they were found to contain excessive pesticide residue and other contaminants, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday.
The 23 items that failed inspection included a 3kg shipment of green tea powder from Japan, branded as matcha, which was imported by Taipei-based Sunrise Logistics Co, the FDA said.
The tea was found to contain 0.08 parts per million (ppm) of the insecticide thiacloprid, it said, adding that the maximum allowed residue level is 0.05 ppm.
Photo: CNA
Another tea product, Jonetsu Kakaku green tea leaves, also imported from Japan by the same company, was found to contain residue of the pesticide flubendiamide, which is banned in Taiwan, the FDA said.
A shipment of 200kg of Kaldi Coffee Farm-branded coffee beans from Japan, which originated in Brazil, also failed a safety inspection because of excessive pesticide residue, it said.
Among the other food products recently denied entry to Taiwan were fresh oysters from Vietnam and black tea from India, Vietnam and Germany, due to excessive levels of pesticide and heavy metals, the FDA said.
A shipment of plastic food containers from China was also rejected because they contained high levels of a bleaching agent, it said.
The rejected products would either be destroyed or returned to the countries of origin, the FDA added.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
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