A batch of 15,236 kilograms of "frozen blueberries" exported from Costco from the United States was tested positive for hepatitis A virus at the border inspection, and all must be destroyed.

(Provided by the Food and Drug Administration)

[Reporters Wu Liangyi, Yang Chengyu, Yang Yamin/Report from Taipei] After Costco was exposed last month that the "Kirkland Signature Kirkland Frozen Three Kinds of Mixed Berry" from Chile was contaminated with hepatitis A virus, it also found "frozen blueberries" imported from the United States yesterday. A total of 15,236 kilograms was tested positive for hepatitis A virus at the border inspection.

The Food and Drug Administration will suspend the acceptance of all types of berries imported by Costco for one month, and will conduct a comprehensive random inspection of the same products from Costco on the market.

Minister of Health and Welfare Xue Ruiyuan said that the industry will be asked to provide a complete explanation.

Costco responded that it has now stopped importing frozen berries, and all frozen berry products in the store have stopped selling on April 30, and the reason is being clarified.

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The Ministry of Health and Welfare proposed to set up a laboratory

Legislator Zhong Jiabin mentioned in an inquiry yesterday that Wei Renting, director of the Southern District of the Food and Drug Administration, once said that the berries that were found to have hepatitis A were "inside the package", and the source of pollution should be before packaging.

Xue Ruiyuan responded that the sources of pollution should all be abroad. Currently, berry products are risky.

Zhong Jiabin bluntly stated that Costco's turnover was estimated at 120 billion yuan the year before last. However, since it is not listed in Taiwan, it only needs to formulate a "food safety monitoring plan" for self-management according to law.

He believes that the Ministry of Health and Welfare should discuss and adjust the "category and scale of food businesses that should set up laboratories" announcement to include "sales businesses that sell imported food to a certain scale" and require businesses to set up their own laboratories. Xue Ruiyuan said that he can come to discuss .

Lin Xuyang, deputy director of the North District Management Center of the Food and Drug Administration, explained that the out-of-package frozen blueberries were inspected by Costco on April 11 and tested positive for hepatitis A virus on the evening of May 1. The products had to be returned or destroyed. , will not enter the domestic market.

Lin Xuyang also said that there is currently no contamination of Costco’s frozen blueberries in the market, but he will cooperate with local health bureaus to strengthen random inspections and prohibit the import of all types of Costco’s berries, including strawberries, red blackberries, Mulberries, red and black currants, etc.

Cai Jiafen, deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration's Southern District Management Center, added that the US FDA announced on March 16 that "strawberries" imported from "Mexico" had hepatitis A virus. Both classes increase the sampling intensity up to a maximum of ten percent.

And because Costco has been inspected all the time, it has to do 100% random inspection.

Costco: Sending Notices, Recalling Items

Costco reminds that frozen blueberry products with an expiration date of February 24 and 25, 2024 must not be eaten.

In case of symptoms of hepatitis A such as fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice, etc., please seek medical treatment as soon as possible and inform the doctor of your dietary history.

For products with hepatitis A virus detected, they will be handled in the same way as comprehensive berries, proactively send notices to members who have purchased products with the same expiration date, recall products, actively communicate with members, send text messages to remind members to manage their own health, and cooperate with the requirements of the competent authority .