Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

The Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Company (TAPMC) implemented the mass spectrometry quick chemical test last year to strengthen the examination mechanism for pesticide residues. On September 27, Mayor Ko Wen-je led a delegation of city officials to the agency to observe testing process.
 
According to the mayor, TAPMC is the first fruit and vegetable wholesale market in Taiwan to adopt the quick test in an effort to stop under par products from ending up at someone’s dinner table. This year, combined with the implementation of real name-based transaction, strict policy guidelines will convince growers to take the issue of food safety seriously and punish those who provide unacceptable products.
 
The Markets Administration Office pointed out that in the interest of upholding food safety standards, the company has adopted the quick chemical test to randomly selected vegetables and fruits starting September 21, 2019. This approach can accurately identify weed killers commonly used in Taiwan within 30 minutes.
 
For the company’s staff, it is a race against time as the checks need to be completed by 3 AM before auctions start. Any products that fail the test are immediately destroyed, with the violators facing strict penalties based on supplier management regulations. Notification is also dispatched to regulatory authorities.
 
As of the end of August 2020, TAPMC have conducted 6750 tests and prevented 395 products with problematic residues from entering the auction floor. Furthermore, with the implementation of Real Name Transaction System on July 1, 2020, the company has constructed a database with over 156,000 supplier entries to track product sources. The combination of the two mechanisms enhances food safety for the residents of Greater Taipei.