TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Food and Drug Administration destroyed 60 kilograms of fish curry imported from the United Arab Emirates by a chain of Indian restaurants because of excessive pesticide levels, reports said Tuesday.
Border tests found 0.05 parts per million of tricyclazole and 0.003 ppm of fipronil, per CNA. The product was MDH Fish Curry Masala ordered by the Mayur Indian Kitchen restaurant chain.
According to FDA regulations, foods can not contain tricyclazole, while the maximum limit for the insecticide fipronil is 0.002 ppm. The same product faces 100% import checks, the FDA said.
Border checks will focus on products likely to contain Sudan Red, the banned industrial dye sometimes found in foods such as chili powder. The FDA also tracked down 0.4 ppm of the carcinogenic ethylene oxide in garlic-flavored parmesan powder from the United States.
Suppliers caught with banned ingredients will have their products banned from entering Taiwan for one month. If caught a second time, the supplier faces a three-month import ban. The third violation could lead to a permanent ban, the FDA said.