Some 123 tons of Chilean cherries were denied entry into Taiwan after food safety tests showed they contained excess levels of pesticide residues, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Tuesday.
The nine shipments from Chile were found to contain residues of cyantraniliprole, a broad-spectrum insecticide for controlling insects with mandibulate as well as piercing-sucking mouthparts, as a result of batch-by-batch inspections at the border, Chen Ching-yu, a division chief at the FDA's Northern Center for Regional Administration, told reporters.
Taiwan only allows a limited permissible level of cyantraniliprole in melons, cruciferous vegetables, tea leaves, apples, and pears, and cherries are not included in those five categories of imports, according to the FDA.
Since Jan. 11, all cherries imported from the South American country have been subject to border testing after it was found that the fruit shipments were failing safety checks with a greater frequency, Chen said.
