Last week, six out of twelve samples of imported and locally grown strawberries sold in Taiwan were found to contain excess amounts of pesticide, the Consumers' Foundation has reported. The twelve samples, six from Taiwan, five from Japan, and one from South Korea, were randomly purchased from hypermarkets, supermarkets, fruit shops and traditional markets in Taipei, Taichung, Changhua County, and Kaohsiung in January, foundation chairman Terry Huang has stated.
Among them, four samples of strawberries imported from Japan and two locally grown were discovered to contain a higher than permissible amount of pesticide residue. Each of the six also had traces of one to two pesticides not permitted for use on strawberries, Huang said.
Retailers caught selling problematic strawberries can be fined NT$60,000 - 200 million (US$2,11 - 7.04 million) based on the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, according to the foundation, which said serious violators could see their business suspended or closed.
Source: focustaiwan.tw