Taiwan Issues Guidance on the Management of Foods Detected with Melamine

It is illegal to add melamine into food intentionally. Since melamine may be present in food due to the inevitable migration from food contact material, etc., Taiwan sets action levels for the detection of melamine in foods.

As per an official notice, Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released “Guidance on the Management of Foods Detected with Melamine” on May 24, 2022. Learning from the experience from developed countries and international organizations, Taiwan FDA puts forward measures to prevent and reduce the contamination of melamine in foods, as well as sets corresponding action levels. (Read more at EFSA’s Scientific Opinion on Melamine in Food and Feed.)

Major content

Melamine is neither a permitted food raw material nor food additive in Taiwan. Adding melamine into food intentionally, regardless of the amount of addition, is illegal and a violation of “Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation”.

However, melamine may be present in food due to the inevitable migration from food contact material, the existence of pesticide residues, etc. To better supervise the melamine level in foods, Taiwan FDA proposes the implementation of “Action Levels for the Detection of Melamine in Food” (listed below).

Action Levels for Foods Detected with Melamine

Food category	Action level (mg/kg)
Formula for infants younger than 6 months (powdered)	1
Formula for infants younger than 6 months (in liquid form)	0.15
Other foods (except infant formula)	2.5*
*This action level does not apply to foods that legally use cyromazine as a pesticide, and whose melamine detection amount is less than the permitted cyromazine residue.

Once the detected melamine amount in foods exceeds the action level, food operators shall report this situation to local health departments. Local health departments will carry out corresponding investigation and take actions as per this “Guidance”.