Black pepper imported into Taiwan (China) is warned

Several shipments of Vietnamese black pepper imported into Taiwan (China) have been warned due to the detection of red sudan exceeding the maximum allowable residue limit.

According to the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA), on December 6, 2024, VPSA received a warning from the Import-Export Department ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ) about the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (Taiwan, China) in Hanoi announcing that some shipments of black pepper exported from Vietnam to Taiwan were contaminated with red sudan.

Xuất khẩu hồ tiều: Cần lưu ý vấn đề chất lượng

Pepper export: Need to pay attention to quality issues

Taiwan has now issued a regulation on MRL (maximum residue limit) for red sudan at 0.01 ppm. Due to the discovery of a phenomenon of pepper with a high probability of being contaminated with sudan, in the past 3 months, Taiwanese authorities have tested 100% of imported pepper samples and discovered 2 shipments contaminated with sudan exceeding the allowable MRL.

Then, on January 8, 2025, VPSA received a warning from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development that Taiwan continued to detect red sudan in Vietnamese pepper and related spice products.

Specifically, Taiwan has announced that it will temporarily suspend import inspection procedures for 35 product groups of violating enterprises such as: pepper, star anise, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, vanilla, sauces...

Regarding this issue, on VPSA's side, immediately after receiving the warning information from the Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade), the association sent a warning to businesses and requested all exporting and purchasing businesses to immediately take timely prevention and control measures, widely notify and request agents, farmers and other related subjects in the supply chain from garden to factory to stop and replace the use of red packaging and containers for fresh and dried pepper with white packaging immediately (do not use drying tarps or colored bags).

VPSA believes that, in the context of the 2025 pepper crop being about to be harvested, it is extremely necessary to urgently adjust processing and harvesting methods for farmers and agents.

VPSA is also continuing to compile information and report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the Ministry's warning. According to VPSA, through this incident, businesses need to be even more careful in testing products, especially when exporting to demanding markets.

Sudan dye, commonly known as sudan dye, is an industrial dye used to color plastics and other synthetic materials red.

Sudan red is classified as a toxic dye worldwide because it can cause cancer by damaging the DNA of cells. There are four types of Sudan red found: Sudan 1 to Sudan 4 (bright red).

Along with black pepper, in early December 2024, VPSA received feedback from member businesses about purchasing white pepper samples containing some strange substances. These are ingredients that are not allowed to be mixed into the product, which will affect the health of consumers.

VPSA has sent a dispatch to relevant agencies requesting to prevent acts that affect the export quality of Vietnamese pepper. In the meantime, while waiting for the authorities to investigate and review the case, businesses need to pay attention and be careful in finding sources of goods, ensuring standards according to the state's food safety regulations and the reputation of the industry, avoiding the possibility of indirectly becoming acts of commercial fraud.

Several shipments of Vietnamese black pepper imported into Taiwan (China) have been warned due to the detection of red sudan exceeding the maximum allowable residue limit.

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