5,000 kg of Sudan dye-tainted Chinese chili powder destroyed

Taipei, April 9 (CNA) A shipment of 4,995 kilograms of chili powder imported from China was recently seized at Taiwan's border and destroyed after being found to contain the carcinogenic Sudan red dye, Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) said Tuesday.

The shipment was found to contain 17 parts per billion (ppb) of Sudan III, a red fat-soluble dye that is banned in Taiwan for use in foodstuffs and was destroyed in accordance with relevant regulations, according to the TFDA.

According to TFDA data, from Oct. 1, 2023 to April 1, 2024, samples from 27 of 145 shipments of Chinese chili powder submitted for testing failed inspection after being found to be contaminated with Sudan red dyes or banned pesticides.

Due to the widespread use of Chinese chili powder contaminated with Sudan red dyes in Taiwan, the TFDA has conducted batch-by-batch border inspections on chili powder imported from China since Dec. 11, 2023, and they will continue to do so at least June 10 of this year.

Early last month, the TFDA further escalated regulatory measures, subjecting all imported chili powder, regardless of the country of origin, to batch-by-batch border inspections starting March 7.

It also introduced two new border control measures on March 13 that took effect on March 22.

It required that all food items found to contain Sudan red dyes be destroyed and permanently prohibited manufacturers or traders that have exported products to Taiwan containing Sudan red dyes from exporting the same type of item to Taiwan again.

TFDA Deputy Director-General Lin Chin-fu (林金富) said in a telephone interview that the batch inspection measure will likely be extended to the end of this year.

Also, according to a list on the TFDA website, imports of chili powder from 22 Chinese manufacturers have been indefinitely suspended.