Taiwan supplier recalls rice over pesticide residue scare

November 4, 2012

A major packaged rice vendor yesterday said it is removing its products from the market due to pesticide residue concerns.

King-Town Co. said it decided to recall all packaged-rice products from the same harvest after tests commissioned by the company showed that some of them contained excessive levels of pesticide residue.

“We immediately informed downstream distributors such as hypermarts and supermarket chains and recalled our small-packaged rice,” Hsiao Yi-ho, a King-Town executive, was cited by the Central News Agency as saying.

The rice batch was from the first harvest of this year, which totaled 500 metric tons. About 120 tons have either been recalled or will soon be removed from the market, Hsiao said, adding that this means 380 tons of contaminated rice have already been sold to consumers.

“Consumers may return the rice to distributors or contact us via the toll-free telephone number printed on the packages,” Hsiao said.

The Changhua-based King-Town was established in 1939, and is a major packaged rice supplier in Taiwan.

After an emergency meeting late yesterday, the Council of Agriculture (COA) demanded King-Town keep all of its rice products off shelves until the products’ safety can be guaranteed.

COA Minister Chen Bao-ji pointed out that information released by King-Town yesterday evening failed to clarify the public’s doubt over the incident. He warned that the company would be responsible if its failure to explain the situation causes consumer panics and damages local rice product sales.

The United Evening News cited agricultural authorities as saying they are investigating the recall.

The COA reportedly said that while King-Town had shown responsibility by removing the tainted rice, the company had declined to provide the test results that had prompted the recall.

The COA’s Agriculture and Food Agency said it has tested 610 rice samples, including nine from King-Town, so far this year, but no excessive levels of pesticide residues were detected in any of them.

The COA is now sending its personnel to collect samples of the King-Town rice products from the market for testing, the United Evening News said.

The newspaper said the COA was not aware of the pesticide scare until the media broke the news yesterday.

The Apple Daily reported that the supplier had told supermarkets and hypermarts earlier this week to remove 21 different types of King-Town’s Jindong-branded packaged rice from their shelves due to the pesticide scare.

The newspaper said that as of Thursday evening, at least 120,000 kilograms of King-Town products had been removed from store shelves at Taiwan’s three major hypermarket chains.

Excessive amounts of two pesticides, fenitrothion and phenthoate, were found in the rice, the paper said.

The King-Town executive disclosed that the company discovered high levels of pesticides in its rice stocks during a spot check in mid-October and by the end of the month had identified the warehouse from which the tainted products was shipped.

The batch of tainted rice came from Changhua in Central Taiwan, but as rice from different farmers was mixed together, the company has been unable to pinpoint the exact source of the problem, Hsiao said.

In addition to recalling the tainted rice, King-Town has withheld stocks of unpackaged rice that may contain excessive levels of pesticide, Hsiao said. “We will not allow any more contaminated rice to enter the market,” he said.

Agricultural experts noted that harvesting of rice crops should be delayed for at least 21 days after the use of the pesticides fenitrothion and phenthoate, according to the CNA.

The rainy weather earlier this year may have sent farmers rushing to harvest their crops before the 21-day period, the experts were cited as saying.

Source: The China Post/Asia News Network

Category: Community

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to HCA for exclusive updates

Top Viewed News

12 simple steps to a healthy lifestyle

12 simple steps to a healthy lifestyle

Now that the world has returned to normalcy following the pandemic, everyone is back to their daily routines and encounters with stress... Read More

AZBIL: Envisioning the Future of Hospitals

AZBIL: Envisioning the Future of Hospitals

As we strive to be the hospital of choice, why not refine our commitment to excellence beyond the pivotal mission of saving lives?... Read More

Study Unlocks Key Findings on Asian Carriers of Breast Cancer

Study Unlocks Key Findings on Asian Carriers of Breast Cancer

Malaysian researchers at Cancer Research Malaysia (CRMY) and the University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) have published... Read More

 Unmasking the Risks of Mercury-Laden Cosmetics

Unmasking the Risks of Mercury-Laden Cosmetics

As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and thus subjective; but in some countries, the ideal of beauty begins... Read More

5 key hospital etiquettes to be mindful of when visiting a sick patient

5 key hospital etiquettes to be mindful of when visiting a sick patient

In moments of illness, the presence of loved ones can comfort and support. However, it’s important for visitors... Read More

Free counters!

2025 – 2026 Exhibitions



2025 Events


9-11 July
Medical Device Development (MEDIX) – Osaka
Makuhari Messe, Japan
www.manufacturing-world.jp


14-16 July
Lab Asia
Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), Malaysia
www.lab-asia.com


16-18 July
Medlab Asia | Asia Health
Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre, Kuala Lumpur
www.medlabasia.com


24 July
Medlab Asia | Asia Health
Singapore
www.conversationaltechsummitasia.com


13-15 August
Philippines Medical
SMX Convention Center Manila Philippines
www.philmedical.com


21-23 August
REHACARE China
Suzhou, China
www.rehacare-c.com


21-23 August
Medical Fair China
Suzhou, China
www.medicalfair.cn


3-5 September
Thailand Lab International
BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand
www.thailandlab.com


3-5 September
Bio Ap International
BITEC, Bangkok
www.bioapinter.com


9-12 September
China Dental Show
National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai)
www.chinadentalshow.com


10-11 September
Hospital Management Asia
Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
www.hospitalmanagementasia.com


10-12 September
Medical Fair Thailand
BITEC, Bangkok
www.medicalfair-thailand.com


10-12 September
GITEX Digi Health & Biotech Thailand
BITEC, Bangkok
www.www.gitexdigihealth.com


11-13 September
Bio Asia Pacific
BITEC, Bangkok
www.bioasiapacific.com


16-18 September
OSH India
Hall-6, Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon (E)
www.oshindia.com


24-26 September
Medtec China
Shanghai, China
www.en.medtecchina.com


7-9 October
Malaysia Pharma and Healthcare Expo
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
www.mphcexpo.com


9-11 October
Medical Japan Tokyo
Makuhari Messe, Japan
www.medical-jpn.jp


17-19 October
Health Asia
BITEC, Bangkok
www.health-asia.com


17-19 October
Health Asia
BITEC, Bangkok
www.health-asia.com


29-30 October
United Medical Expo
Astana, Kazakhstan
www.umtexpo.com


7-8 November
Eldercare Exhibition and Conference Asia (ELDEX Asia)
Suntex Singapore Exhibition and Convention Centre
www.eldexasia.com


10-12 November
Saudi International Pharma Expo
Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center
www.saudipharmaexpo.com


10-12 November
Saudi International MedLab Expo
Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center
www.saudimedlabexpo.com


27-29 November
International Wellness Expo (IWE 2025)
METIC, Malaysia
www.internationalwellnessexpo.com


27-29 November
Vietnam Medi-Pharm
Friendship Cultural Palace , Hanoi
www.vietnammedipharm.vn


2026 Events


9-12 Febuary
Arab Health
Dubai World Trade Centre
www.arabhealthonline.com


15-17 April
Lab Indonesia
Jakarta Convention Center, Jakarta, Indonesia
www.lab-indo.com


28-30 April
SEACare
MITEC, KL
wwww.ea-healthcare.com


6-7 May
HealthTechX Asia
Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore
www.healthtechx-asia.com


4-6 June
International Health Industry Expo
China
www.ihe-china.com


16-18 June
CPhI China
SNIEC, Shanghai, China
www.cphi.com


25-27 June
Medical Taiwan
Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Taipei, Taiwan
www.medicaltaiwan.com.tw


9-11 September
Medical Fair Asia
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
www.medicalfair-asia.com


9-11 September
Medical Manufacturing Asia
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
www.medmanufacturing-asia.com


1-2 October
GITEX Vietnam
Hanoi
www.gitexasia.com