Taiwan: Harmonized Sanitation Standard For Contaminants And Toxins In Food

On May 8, 2018, Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) issued an announcement on promulgation of   “Sanitation Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food," which will take effect on January 1, 2019.

At present, restrictions of heavy metals, mycotoxins, toxins and other contaminants in foods are regulated in various food hygiene standards in Taiwan. This makes it difficult for food manufacturers to inquire about the restrictions. Therefore, the TFDA issued the “Sanitation Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food" to integrate the limits from various food hygiene standards into one uniform standard for unified management.

In accordance with the implementation of the newly released “Sanitation Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food,” TFDA announced the revising and abolishing of certain food hygiene standards.

There are seven food hygiene standards which were revised.  The contents were integrated, the restrictions on microbiological criteria was kept and the restrictions on heavy metals, mycotoxins, etc. which have been listed in the newly released uniform standard were deleted. Those 7 food hygiene standards are: General Foods, Canned Foods, Ice Products, Infant Foods, Frozen Foods, Beverages, and Bottled and Packaged Drinking Water.

There are 12 food hygiene standards which were abolished. The provisions in them have been listed in the newly released uniform standard. Those 12 food hygiene standards are: Eggs and Egg Products, Aquatic Animal, Edible oils and Fats, Tolerance of Mycotoxins in Foods, Algae Foods, Fresh Meats, Tolerance of Heavy Metals in Rice, Limit of 3-Monochloro-1, 2-propanediol in Soy Sauce, Food Grade Salt, Tolerance of Heavy Metals in Edible Offal of Cattle, Sheep, Pig and Poultry, Tolerance of Heavy Metals in Mushrooms, and Tolerance of Heavy Metals of Plant Origin.