Accra:Several shipments of food-contact products from China, including kitchen tools and paper utensils, have been intercepted at Taiwan's borders due to safety concerns, According to Food and Drug Administration (TFDA).

According to Focus Taiwan, the TFDA reported that two batches of paper baking cups imported by DFI Home Furnishings Taiwan Ltd., the operator of Ikea in Taiwan, had evaporation residues of 217 parts per million (ppm) and 226 ppm. These levels far exceed the legal limit of 30 ppm for food utensils, containers, and packaging. Additionally, a batch of baking paper was found to have an evaporation residue of 67 ppm. All three shipments are set to be either returned or destroyed.

Between April 12 and October 12, 11 out of 206 batches of products from China, classified as "other paper or cardboard-made utensils which contain other plastic materials on surfaces touching foodstuff," failed dissolution tests, resulting in a failure rate of 5.3 percent. To address these issues, the TFDA plans to conduct batch-by-batch inspections of such products from China from October 20 to November 19.

A batch of kitchen tools from China also recorded an evaporation residue of 123 ppm, surpassing the legal limit. Consequently, imports by Conair Hong Kong Ltd., Taiwan Branch, will be subject to an increased inspection rate of 20 to 50 percent.

Other imports halted at the border included dried mung beans, fresh bok choy, and tapioca chips from Indonesia; licorice and fresh radishes from China; fresh durian from Vietnam; and opah from Seychelles, due to excessive pesticide residues, sweeteners, bleaching agents, or heavy metals.