The Council of Agriculture now has stricter inspections of exported pineapples. The move came Tuesday after the highly toxic insecticide omethoate was found in the pineapples exported to China recently.
Agricultural authorities are still investigating why the banned insecticide is still in use.
To ensure food safety, the government has already taken steps to check the farm registration system and verify pesticide safety certifications. But an agricultural official Lin Li-fang said more inspection is needed.
“There will be a third level of inspection," said Lin.
"A certificate is required for all exported fruits. Before issuing the certificate, we will randomly inspect whether the insecticide used [meets the government standards]."
Taiwan produces 41,000 tons of pineapples annually. The Council of Agriculture has conducted inspections every year. Over the past three years, more than 98% of the pineapples available on the market have met government standards.