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Shocking! PX Mart's "Mustard Greens" Found with Pesticides 280 Times over the Limit, Harming Liver and Kidneys
pine Webmaster of Pineapple
2014/10/29 08:13
508 topics published
NOWnews October 29, 2014 Reporter Chen Kunkai / Taipei Report
Shocking pesticide residues found again in supermarket produce! The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare today (29th) announced the results of its August inspection of agricultural products on the market, revealing 20 non-compliant items. The most severe case was a sample of "mustard greens" taken from PX Mart’s Zhongshan branch in Yilan, which contained the insecticide "Fipronil" at a staggering 0.280ppm—280 times the permitted limit of 0.001ppm. The product has been removed from shelves, and local health authorities are tracing the source to the upstream farm.
Liu Fangming, acting director of the FDA’s Southern Regional Center, stated that in August, the FDA and local health departments inspected 184 agricultural products, with 20 failing to meet standards—a compliance rate of 89.1%.
The most egregious violation was the "mustard greens" sampled by the Yilan County Health Bureau at PX Mart (No. 87, Section 2, Zhongshan Road, Yilan County). The product tested positive for two pesticides exceeding limits: "Acetamiprid" at 2.82ppm (above the 2.0ppm standard) and "Fipronil." The supplier was identified as Baiji Food Industrial Development Co., Ltd. in Sanxia, New Taipei City, and the case has been referred to Yunlin County Health Bureau for further investigation.
Liu Fangming noted that non-compliant agricultural products have been confiscated and destroyed in accordance with the law. Upstream suppliers found in violation may face fines ranging from NT$60,000 to NT$50 million under the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act. To safeguard public health, farmers are urged to follow the Council of Agriculture’s recommended pesticide usage guidelines when cultivating fruits and vegetables.
Yen Tsunghai, director of the Clinical Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, warned that long-term exposure to Fipronil may harm liver and kidney function and increase the risk of thyroid tumors. The pesticide is already banned in the European Union.
The FDA recommends washing vegetables by first rinsing the roots, removing them, soaking the produce in water for 10–20 minutes, changing the water 1–3 times, and then rinsing again. For fruits, rinse with water before peeling. For herbal teas, discarding the first brew can help reduce pesticide residues.
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