Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/02/16
By: Yu Hsiao-han, Hsiao Po-yang and Chung Yu-chen

Taipei, Feb. 16 (CNA) An official from the Council of Agriculture (COA) said Saturday that the council is looking to shorten the time for fipronil testing to one week after authorities revealed Friday that over 27,000 tainted eggs reached the market since late January.

Once a test indicates the maximum fipronil level has been exceeded, the authorities will be able to respond more quickly, said Feng Hai-tung (馮海東), head of the COA’s Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ).

Hsu Jung-bin (徐榮彬), a BAPHIQ senior official pointed out that the current inspection process takes longer because samples are often left in the lab for one or two days before being tested.

For example, Hsu said, if samples from 20 egg farms are required, staff will not send them to the lab until they collect all 20.    [FULL  STORY]