The Kaohsiung Department of Health has sanctioned Costco NT$4.5 million (US$146,000) for contaminated frozen strawberries. According to the Food and Drug Administration said that, even though Costco’s US firm had submitted improvements plans, the export ban on frozen strawberries may continue.

Three varieties of frozen berries that are imported by and sold through Costco have been tested for the hepatitis-A virus in April. It was discovered that the Kaohsiung health department has previously fined Costco NT$300,000.00 for failing to supply the list of sales for the three-berry blend from Kirkland that was imported from Chile which was in violation of the Communicable Disease Control Act. Costco was fined NT$7.5 million in the same batch of food, in violation of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation.

Food and Drug Administration officials confiscate frozen berries in packages discovered to be infected with the hepatitis A virus in an Costco store on May 17.

Source: taipeitimes.com