Discovery of Excessive Pesticide Residues in a Batch of Quinoa from Peru

On November 28, 2023, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration released a list of non-compliant food items detected during border inspections. Among them, a batch of quinoa from Peru was found to have exceeded the permissible limits of pesticide residues. This article provides details regarding the incident, including the involved parties, the specific pesticides detected, and the actions taken in response.

According to the announcement, the manufacturer or exporter of the non-compliant batch of quinoa is AFI IMPEX PERU S.A.C. from Peru, and the importer in the Taiwan region is Ge Lai De Co., Ltd.

The batch of black quinoa was found to contain pesticide residues exceeding the permissible limits. The detected pesticide residues include 0.3 ppm of amitrole, 0.02 ppm of cyprodinil, 0.02 ppm of tebuconazole, 0.01 ppm of azoxystrobin, 0.03 ppm of cyflufenamid, and 0.03 ppm of pyrimethanil. According to the "Pesticide Residue Tolerance Standards," the quantitative limits for cyprodinil, cyflufenamid, and pyrimethanil are all set at 0.01 ppm. The tolerance limit for amitrole is 0.1 ppm, while tebuconazole and azoxystrobin should not be detectable. This case violates Article 15 of the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act.

In total, the non-compliant product amounted to 4,000.00 kilograms, all of which were either returned or destroyed as part of the appropriate disposal procedures.

The discovery of pesticide residues exceeding the permissible limits in a batch of quinoa from Peru raises concerns regarding food safety. The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration has taken swift action by identifying the non-compliant products, specifying the involved manufacturers and importers, and ensuring that the products were appropriately disposed of. This incident highlights the importance of thorough border inspections and adherence to food safety regulations to protect consumer health and well-being.