TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A shipment of 800 boxes of apples from the U.S. was recently found to contain excess levels of pesticide residue, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Tuesday (March 23).

In a press release, the FDA said that 11,975 kilograms of Ambrosia apples imported from the U.S. by Costco Taiwan were found to contain 0.06 parts per million of cyantraniliprole, an insecticide used to kill whiteflies, aphids, and fruit worms. The FDA said the product had been rejected at the country's border before it could enter the Taiwanese market.

Wang You-mei (王友玫), a spokesman for Costco Taiwan, said the company will return all 800 boxes of Ambrosia apples to the U.S. He added that the latest version of Taiwan's Standards for Pesticide Residue Limits in Foods will be provided once again to the supplier.

Meanwhile, customs officials barred several imported fruit and drink products from entry for containing high amounts of chemicals. These included cantaloupes, grapes, and green tea powder from Japan; blueberries from Chile; kiwis from the U.S.; fish sauce from Vietnam; and milk tea powder from India.

Pesticide residue was detected in MEIKO grapes from Japan. (FDA photo)