Taipei: A batch of imported Japanese soy sauce was returned or destroyed after being found to contain excessive amounts of the preservative thiamine dilaurylsulfate, Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) stated on Tuesday. The 162 kilograms of soy sauce contained 0.04 grams per kilogram of thiamine dilaurylsulfate, surpassing the legal limit of 0.01 g/kg, as noted by Liu Fang-ming, director of the FDA's Northern Taiwan Management Center.

According to Focus Taiwan, the importer, Zhong Xin International Development Co., Ltd., will now face 100 percent sampling of its spice and condiment imports following a previous incident where a shipment of black pepper from Vietnam was discovered to contain the prohibited Sudan dye. This measure ensures that the company's imports will undergo batch-by-batch inspections to prevent further violations.

In a related incident, two batches of carbonated beverages totaling 7,920 kg imported from Vietnam were found to contain phosphoric acid, a banned additive. The importer, Golden Roentgen Limited Company, will consequently face enhanced inspection rates of 20-50 percent, as stated by Liu.

The TFDA's announcement on Tuesday highlighted a total of 13 imports intercepted at the borders for noncompliance with Taiwan's pertinent laws. These intercepted goods include frozen spanner crabs from Thailand, coriander from Malaysia, mushrooms from the Netherlands, and cinnamon powder and white radishes from China.