Sudan Red, a potentially carcinogenic dye banned in food, was detected in a batch of rainbow peppercorns this Tuesday. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the entire batch of spices, in addition to other products found noncompliant, were destroyed at the border.

The rainbow peppercorns were imported from Vietnam by Macroscopic Inc. According to the FDA’s statistics, one other batch of Vietnamese spices inspected at the border was found noncompliant due to the presence of prohibited Sudan dyes between June 8 and December 8 this year. Therefore, the FDA has implemented enhanced monitoring inspections for Vietnamese spices at the border through December 7, 2026.

A shipment of salsa sauces imported from the United States through Japanese specialty food retailer KALDI was also problematic. The medium spicy and mild versions of the sauce were found to contain residues of ethylene oxide, a Group 1 carcinogen. 

Border inspections also uncovered noncompliant products from China, including bamboo fungus containing more than the regulatory limit of the heavy metal cadmium, and chili flakes containing pesticide residue. All related products were intercepted at the border and did not enter Taiwan’s domestic market.