A kind of Yerba Mate tea imported from Taiwan suspected to be made from inedible plant ingredients

Issue Date 28.5.2015
Source of Information

Taiwanese authorities

Food Product

Yerba Mate tea

Product Name and Description

Product name: Natural Garden Yerba Mate Tea
Place of processing: Taiwan
Package: 15 bags per pack (3 grams per bag)

Reason For Issuing Alert

Following up on the investigation of the Taiwanese authorities into the use of inedible plant ingredients in manufacturing teabags by Miaoli County's Mr Teago Limited, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has noted that Yerba Mate tea sold by a Hong Kong company, Metro Alliance Limited, is one of the affected products announced by the Taiwanese authorities.

The CFS immediately contacted the importer concerned for follow-up. According to the information provided by the importer, the company has bought the affected Natural Garden Yerba Mate Tea from Miaoli County's Mr Teago Limited. Some of the affected product has been sold and there are currently 125 cartons in stock.

Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety

The CFS has marked and sealed all the remaining stocks from the importer and is tracing the distribution of the product concerned. The vendor in question has voluntarily stopped selling and removed from shelves the affected product.

The CFS will alert the trade to the incident. The CFS will also continue to follow up the case and liaise with the Taiwanese authorities, and take appropriate actions.

Advice to the Trade

Stop selling the product concerned immediately.

Advice to Consumers

Members of the public who have purchased the concerned product or have doubts in related products they have purchased should stop consumption and contact the concerned retailers.

Further Information

The CFS Press Release

For enquiries on the affected product, the public may call Metro Alliance Limited (Tel: 2881 8518) during office hours.

Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
2015-5-28

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