TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan has blocked a shipment of Canadian sea urchin roe after border inspections found excessive cadmium, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday.
The 17.6-kilogram shipment of refrigerated sea urchin roe imported from Canada by Sushi Express contained 0.6 milligrams of cadmium per kilogram, twice the legal limit of 0.3 milligrams, per Liberty Times. Liu Fang-ming (劉芳銘), director of the FDA’s Northern Center for Regional Administration, said the shipment must be returned or destroyed at the border and will not enter the Taiwanese market.
Sushi Express has had two shipments of Canadian refrigerated sea urchin roe fail inspections within the past six months, including a shipment in April that also exceeded the cadmium limit. The FDA has therefore placed the company’s imports of the product under batch-by-batch inspection while maintaining regular random inspections for other imports of the same product category from Canada.
Separately, 23,500 kilograms of chili flakes imported from China by Global Chilli Foods Co. tested positive for Sudan III dye, per TVBS. The FDA will continue subjecting chili flakes from China to 100% testing for Sudan dyes through Aug. 7, 2027.
An 893-kilogram shipment of frozen beef tongue imported from the US by Shuh Sen Co. tested positive for Sarcocystis parasites, per UDN. The FDA has subjected the company’s imports to enhanced border inspections, with every shipment tested.
