輸入及國內流通食品中環氧乙烷殘留現況研析   全文下載

Surveillance of Ethylene Oxide Residues in Imported and Post-market Food Products

長期暴露於高濃度環氧乙烷（Ethylene oxide, EtO）可能導致頭痛及癌症等健康危害。印度等國家將環氧乙烷應用於食品貯存時抑制沙門氏桿菌生長，而我國並未准許使用於食品上。近年來環氧乙烷污染食品之國際事件頻傳，為維護食品安全，衛生福利部食品藥物管理署（下稱食藥署）業於2022年3月14日公告食品中環氧乙烷檢驗方法。食品中環氧乙烷之殘留標準均為不得檢出。本研究運用食藥署系統資料統計及分析，了解環氧乙烷於食品殘留之檢驗概況，資料擷取期間為2022年3月至2023年2月。結果顯示邊境檢驗1,623件，發生檢驗不合格計44件，整體不合格率2.71 %，其中發現主要不合格產品為印尼速食麵及香辛料。市售產品抽驗稽查共檢驗207件，其中發生8件不合格，整體不合格率為3.86%，其中2件不合格之膠囊為國產，其餘皆來自進口，進口之不合格產品包含3件為速食麵，3件為空膠囊。香辛料、速食麵及中國進口之空膠囊殼相關之貨品分類號已列為加強查驗管制，以維護國人健康。將持續監控食品殘留環氧乙烷之情形，並管理國內食品製造加工業者不得使用環氧乙烷作為食品殺菌劑，或使用受環氧乙烷污染之原料。

Long-term exposure to high level of Ethylene oxide (EtO) may cause health damage such as headache, cancer, and etc. Certain countries, e.g. India, used EtO on food to prevent Salmonella growth. Taiwan does not allow the use of EtO in food. In recent years, EtO residues in food has been reported through media internationally. For food safety, the food chemical testing method was announced publicly by Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) on March 14, 2022, which“Standards for residue limits”of EtO cannot be detected in Food products. In this report, data for the period March 2022 to February 2023 were extracted from the TFDA database to analyze the EtO contamination of food. The result shows that out of 1,623 samples examined for EtO contents from imported food, 44 of these examined samples was detected with the residue of EtO. The unqualified rate is 2.71%. The main unqualified products are Indonesian instant noodles and spices. A total of 207 post-market samples was examined EtO contents. The result shows that eight examined samples violated the regulation. The unqualified rate is 3.86%. Two unqualified products are domestic capsules, others are from abroad, including three instant noodles and three gelatin capsules. For food safety, the related customs commodity code and classification had set up to enhance the inspection strength of imported noodles, imported spices and gelatin capsules from China. TFDA will continue to monitor inspection of residue of EtO in Food products and manage related domestic manufacturer.