Food and Drug Administration
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(3) Imported Food and Related Product Inspections
a. Imported Foods and related products must undergo border inspection at the harbors and
ports of entry. Only conforming food items may be imported. Refer to Appendix 1 Annex Table
3 for detailed inspection statistics. Figure 2-4 shows the border inspections handled by TFDA
offices at various ports. A total of 616,286 batches of food were inspected, which was a 19.7%
increase compared to 2013. A total of 48,704 batches (for 7.9% of the total) were subject to
sampling inspection, with 1.36% of the sampled batches failing to pass the regulations. Most of
the nonconformities occurred for fresh, cold, or frozen vegetables, fruits, and teas, with the main
reason of nonconformity being failure to meet the limits imposed for levels of residual agricultural
chemicals. Nonconforming products were either returned or destroyed, and none were released to
the local market.
b. Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster of Japan, TFDA has suspended food inspection
applications from the five Japanese prefectures and cities of Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma,
and Chiba. Strengthened radioactivity monitoring of various food items imported from Japan has
been in force since 20 March 2011. A total of 63,972 cases were inspected by the end of 2014.
Radiation inspection levels all met the relevant requirements.
c.
Three Controls and Five Verifications
control measures have been imposed on imported beef.
Batch inspection was carried out for beef products imported from countries where the use of
ractopamine is legal. Exporters who have repeatedly passed the inspections may obtain reduced
inspection frequencies. In 2014, a total of 16,095 batches of beef products were inspected, of
them 1,940 batches were selected to sampling inspection. Inspection ratio is 12.1%. All inspected
batches met the requirements.
(4) Publishing the
2013 Annual Report on the Statistics of Imported Foods Management and Import
Inspections
Since 2011, TFDA analyzes its border inspection results of food items every year to generate
an annual report to understand the causes of foods and related products import risks, product
categories, and source countries. Annual statistics, investigations, and surveys are used to identify
key focus areas for future management as well as areas in need of adjustment or improvement to
construct a comprehensive food import management system and safeguard food health for the
country's citizens.
Keelung Harbor office, 58.7%
Taoyuan Airport Office, 21.2%
Tachung Harbor office, 6.6%
Kaohsiung Harbor Office, 13.5%
Figure 2-4
Border inspections handled by TFDA offices at Taiwan ports in 2014