According to a report by the Council of Agriculture (COA), samples collected two years ago from several crops -including celery and strawberries- were found to contain excessive levels of insecticide residue,
The Taiwan Agricultural Chemicals and Toxic Substances Research Institute on Jan. 9 released the results of its insecticide residue tests on vegetables and fruits in 2017. Of the 5,322 samples of 47 kinds of fruits collected, 3.1 percent contained insecticide residues higher than the maximum permissible level, the report said, adding that strawberries, passion fruit and citrus fruit had a disqualification rate of more than 10 percent.
Fruits used in school lunches had a disqualification rate of 4.9 percent, higher than the 3 percent among fruits sampled on farms.
The Taipei Times reported that of the 8,847 samples collected from 16 kinds of vegetables, 5.1 percent contained insecticide residues in excess of the permissible limit, the report said, adding that celery, peas and radishes had higher disqualification rates.
