Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
March 20, 2017, China Times
Consumers who frequently eat lettuce in salads should increase their washing time in the future! Last Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unilaterally announced the relaxation of pesticide residue limits for 128 agricultural products, including vegetables, fruits, and plants. For instance, the limit for lettuce was raised from zero tolerance to 10 ppm. Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Chen Yi-min strongly criticized the move, calling it a 20-fold increase. With food and drug safety scandals emerging one after another, he questioned, "Is the new government's solution to food safety issues simply raising pesticide residue standards?"
On March 13, the Ministry of Health and Welfare proposed amendments to the "Pesticide Residue Limit Standards," revising the maximum residue limits for 22 pesticides across 128 agricultural products, including vegetables, fruits, and plants. The draft also added new categories such as millet and quinoa under coarse grains, and malabar spinach and jute mallow under leafy vegetables. The draft will undergo a 60-day public comment period.
Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung attended the Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee of the Legislative Yuan today to present a special report titled "Food and Drug Safety Scandals—Has the Five-Ring Food Safety Policy Failed? Plans for Establishing a Drug Traceability System." Legislator Chen Yi-min pointed out that the FDA quietly announced last Wednesday that it would raise pesticide residue limits for agricultural products, disregarding public health.
Chen Yi-min stated that the commonly used pesticide fluopyram was already identified in a 2014 international journal as causing thyroid and liver tumors in rats and mice during long-term consumption. Prolonged intake could significantly impact health. Yet, the limit for tea leaves was abruptly raised to 6 ppm, despite the fact that countries like Australia and Japan prohibit its use in tea, with a maximum allowable concentration of only 0.05 ppm (and 0.1 ppm for bananas). He particularly emphasized the risk with lettuce in salads: "Most vendors only give it a quick rinse before serving, and some unscrupulous ones might not even wash it. Is it really safe to eat this every day?" He advised the public to protect themselves by washing vegetables more thoroughly from now on.
Chen Yi-min noted that EU and WTO regulations stipulate that fluopyram concentrations must not exceed 0.1 ppm. "Why are we suddenly setting it at 6 ppm for a relatively new pesticide?" Tea is an important export product for Taiwan, but many tea farmers are unaware of EU regulations. By relaxing standards to appease tea farmers, isn't the government risking unintended consequences?
Additionally, dimethomorph, a fungicide frequently used by vegetable farmers, was previously undetectable under the old pesticide safety standards. In 2009, the limit was set at 0.5 ppm, and in 2012, it was raised to 2.5 ppm. Now, it is being increased to 10 ppm—a 20-fold jump. Chen Yi-min pointed out that the late toxicology expert Lin Chieh-liang had warned that dimethomorph harms the nervous system, causes infertility with long-term exposure, and damages the liver and kidneys. "Dimethomorph is often among the most abused and over-the-limit pesticides. Raising the limit to 10 ppm—isn't that concerning?" He criticized, "Is the new government's solution to food safety issues just raising pesticide residue standards?"
In response, Minister Chen Shih-chung stated that all the revised standards were based on expert research, but whether they align with international standards may require further investigation. He promised to instruct the FDA to conduct a review.
Source: http://www. chinatimes. com/ realtimenews/ 20170320002262- 260405
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Wash Veggies Longer! Taiwan Government Raises Pesticide Residue Limits 20-Fold
Consumers who frequently eat lettuce in salads should increase their washing time in the future! Last Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unilaterally announced the relaxation of pesticide residue limits for 128 agricultural products, including vegetables, fruits, and plants. For instance, the limit for lettuce was raised from zero tolerance to 10 ppm. Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Chen Yi-min strongly criticized the move, calling it a 20-fold increase. With food and drug safety scandals emerging one after another, he questioned, "Is the new government's solution to food safety issues simply raising pesticide residue standards?"
On March 13, the Ministry of Health and Welfare proposed amendments to the "Pesticide Residue Limit Standards," revising the maximum residue limits for 22 pesticides across 128 agricultural products, including vegetables, fruits, and plants. The draft also added new categories such as millet and quinoa under coarse grains, and malabar spinach and jute mallow under leafy vegetables. The draft will undergo a 60-day public comment period.
Health and Welfare Minister Chen Shih-chung attended the Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee of the Legislative Yuan today to present a special report titled "Food and Drug Safety Scandals—Has the Five-Ring Food Safety Policy Failed? Plans for Establishing a Drug Traceability System." Legislator Chen Yi-min pointed out that the FDA quietly announced last Wednesday that it would raise pesticide residue limits for agricultural products, disregarding public health.
Chen Yi-min stated that the commonly used pesticide fluopyram was already identified in a 2014 international journal as causing thyroid and liver tumors in rats and mice during long-term consumption. Prolonged intake could significantly impact health. Yet, the limit for tea leaves was abruptly raised to 6 ppm, despite the fact that countries like Australia and Japan prohibit its use in tea, with a maximum allowable concentration of only 0.05 ppm (and 0.1 ppm for bananas). He particularly emphasized the risk with lettuce in salads: "Most vendors only give it a quick rinse before serving, and some unscrupulous ones might not even wash it. Is it really safe to eat this every day?" He advised the public to protect themselves by washing vegetables more thoroughly from now on.
Chen Yi-min noted that EU and WTO regulations stipulate that fluopyram concentrations must not exceed 0.1 ppm. "Why are we suddenly setting it at 6 ppm for a relatively new pesticide?" Tea is an important export product for Taiwan, but many tea farmers are unaware of EU regulations. By relaxing standards to appease tea farmers, isn't the government risking unintended consequences?
Additionally, dimethomorph, a fungicide frequently used by vegetable farmers, was previously undetectable under the old pesticide safety standards. In 2009, the limit was set at 0.5 ppm, and in 2012, it was raised to 2.5 ppm. Now, it is being increased to 10 ppm—a 20-fold jump. Chen Yi-min pointed out that the late toxicology expert Lin Chieh-liang had warned that dimethomorph harms the nervous system, causes infertility with long-term exposure, and damages the liver and kidneys. "Dimethomorph is often among the most abused and over-the-limit pesticides. Raising the limit to 10 ppm—isn't that concerning?" He criticized, "Is the new government's solution to food safety issues just raising pesticide residue standards?"
In response, Minister Chen Shih-chung stated that all the revised standards were based on expert research, but whether they align with international standards may require further investigation. He promised to instruct the FDA to conduct a review.
Source: http://www. chinatimes. com/ realtimenews/ 20170320002262- 260405