In response to a media report headlined “Government never announces test results; standard amazingly lenient” today, the FDA held a press conference at 11:00 a.m. on December 4 for clarification and denied the report. 

As a result of the Fukushima nuclear crisis of Japan, the FDA has strengthened radiation test on imported food from Japan to step up control, in order to ensure food safety of Taiwan. In addition, considering the need to protect consumers’ right to know, the test results have been posted on the Administration’s website and updated weekly starting from March 15, 2011, which was even changed to daily release from November 8, 2013 onwards, also for protection of consumers’ right to know. The media report’s statement of “government never announces test results” is not true. 

Starting from April 1, 2012, Japan has adjusted the limits of cesium to 100 Bq/kg for general food, 50 Bq/kg for dairy products and baby food, and 10 Bq/kg for drinks and water. In response to Japan’s modified limits, Taiwan has also tightened the admission standard of border inspection; food must meet both Japan’s and Taiwan’s standards to be permitted for import. Among others, for tea products which have aroused much public attention recently, Taiwan and Japan use different forms of sample for test and adopt different standards. Japan tests on the tea drinks, of which the radiation test result is about 1/50 of the result from the original tea leaves. Thus, the standard is estimated to be 500 Bq/kg for the original tea leaves. Taiwan tests directly on tea leaves, and the standard is 370 Bq/kg. In comparison with Japan, Taiwan adopts a far more stringent standard. The report of “amazingly lenient standard” is not true.