Strengthening inspections of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables has won support from industry players

According to data, the rate of unqualified pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables in five counties and cities in central Taiwan increased in 2012 compared to 2009. In order to ensure food safety, the Taichung Municipal Government Health Bureau plans to strengthen the inspection of fruits and vegetables. This move has been supported by inspection companies, which will provide free inspection services for 275 products with a market value of approximately NT$1.5 million, hoping to shorten the pesticide inspection process and ensure the safety of people's fruits and vegetables.

In order to ensure that the fruits and vegetables consumed by the public are safe, the inspection company will provide free inspection services for 275 items of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables to the Taichung City Health Bureau. (Photo provided by Taichung City Government Health Bureau)

According to the statistics of the pesticide residue inspection of fruits and vegetables by the Health Bureau of the Taichung Municipal Government, in 2010, the unqualified rate of fruits and vegetables in the five counties and cities in central Taiwan, namely, Central Taiwan, Changhua, Taipei, Miaoli and Yunlin, was 11.4%; in 2011, the unqualified rate was 13.2%, an increase of nearly 1.8%. Among the unqualified fruits and vegetables, beans and peas were the most common in the vegetable category, while strawberries and grapes accounted for a higher proportion in the fruit category. The pesticides that are most commonly found to have residues are "Damidofen" and "Befenti".

The Health Bureau stated that agricultural products that were found to contain pesticide residues mostly came from farmers who, in order to seize sales opportunities, harvested sensitive beans, peas, strawberries, grapes and other fruits and vegetables in advance when they were still in the safe period for spraying pesticide residues, resulting in the pesticides being sold to the market before they were completely volatilized. When people eat fruits and vegetables containing such pesticide residues, although the toxins will be excreted through urine or feces, some people will still experience allergic symptoms.

Regarding the free pesticide residue testing service provided by testing companies, the Department of Health stated that it is currently limited to applications submitted by food material suppliers, fruit and vegetable suppliers, and campus meal material suppliers that accept guidance from the Department of Health.

In addition to strengthening guidance on random inspections of commercially available fruit and vegetable ingredients and the source management mechanism of businesses, Huang Meina, director of the Taichung Municipal Government's Health Bureau, suggested that when washing vegetables, people should rinse the roots of the vegetables with clean water, remove the roots, soak them in clean water for 10 to 20 minutes, and then rinse them 2 to 3 times, which can also reduce pesticide residues.