Food and Drug Administration Confirms Taiwan Firm’s Fish Products Pass Safety Standards
Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration said on September 3 that the materials used by Black Bridge Foods Co. in processed foods have passed local safety standards, contrasting findings by Hong Kong authorities that the company’s products exceed legal levels of mercury.
Hong Kong’s Center for Food Safety found excessive mercury levels in the Tainan-based company’s Fried Swordfish Fibers products last week, leading Black Bridge to recall the product both in Hong Kong and in Taiwan. However, the Food and Drug Administration’s inspection found that the fish did not contain any methyl mercury and also met other safety standards.
While the Food and Drug Administration’s inspection showed no problems, it only tested the raw materials used by the company and not its finished products. Because Hong Kong for authorities use a different standard to test mercury, the company has voluntarily sent samples of raw materials and finished products for SDS inspections, said Lin Hsin-jung, spokeswoman of the company, best known for its sausages.
The results are due later this week, she said. “We will take the next step once we have the final results,” Lin added.
The recall involved 72 units of 170 gram and 270 gram cans of fish fiber in Hong Kong and about 4,000 cans in Taiwan, Lin said. Black Bridge operates two stores within the special administrative region of China.
By Chang Jung-hsiang and James Lee for Focus Taiwan.
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