In order to protect the interests of consumers, the Executive Yuan's Department of Consumer Protection (hereafter referred to as the DCP) held random inspections of 30 samples of commercially available raw green grass tea materials in order to conduct tests for pesticide residues. The examination results indicated that 19 samples complied with regulations and that 11 samples did not. The DCP has stated that products in violation were taken off the shelves on August 16, 2016, and that competent authorities in the Ministry of Health and Welfare (the MHW) have already urged the relevant government municipalities to conduct a legal investigation.

Green grass tea is a characteristic tea in Taiwan that consumers can enjoy for the simple taste of an individual green grass material or for the rich layers of a variety of green grass materials as a beverage or after heating the tea. In order to understand whether the quality of commercial green grass materials comply with relevant laws and regulations, the DCP dispatched local consumer protection officials and health bureau personnel to Taoyuan City, Chiayi County, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City and Ilan County in order to go to administrative areas where there are specialty green grass tea streets, traditional Chinese medicine shops, and manufacturers that sell green grass tea materials. Currently, pesticide residue tolerance standards for a random sampling was taken of 30 different green grass tea materials that people commonly heat at home or for compounds using a higher ratio of materials (such as jelly grass, beggarweed, wedelia and glossogyne tenuifolia). The sampling was commissioned by the Taipei City Liu-Kung Agricultural Foundation using a method for the determination of pesticide residues in foodstuffs as outlined in a MHW bulletin, and an inspection via a multiple residue analysis of dithiocarbamate fungicides was conducted

Of these 30 samples, 19 comply with regulations and 11were found with pesticide residues that do not comply with regulations. The detected pesticides are approved for domestic use, but they are not approved (recommended) for use of these samplings. The test results are as follows (please refer to the table):

1. 15 samples of jelly grass, with 2 samples exceeding standards (samples 1 and 19)
2. 8 samples of beggarweed, with 2 samples exceeding standards (samples 24 and 25)
3. 6 samples of wedelia, with all 6 exceeding standards (samples 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 and 21)
4. 1 sample of glossogyne tenuifolia, which exceeded standards (sample 26)

The DCP has stated that after the tests results were released a meeting was immediately convened which, in addition to confirming that the inspection process and tests results were correct, also requested that the relevant health authorities comply with the law in tracking down the origins of the 11 unqualified green grass tea materials. As of now, in compliance with food safety and health management laws, one business operator has been fined NT$60,000 (sample 1), and 8 samples have been traced to Yunlin County, Chiayi County and Penghu County farmers. Local health bureaus have already transferred the samples to the relevant agricultural units for inspection (samples 3, 9, 10, 16, 21, 24 and 26), and the health bureaus have interviewed business operators in regard to 2 samples (samples 17 and 25).

The Executive Yuan's Council of Agriculture (the COA) has stated that of test results on the random sampling of commercial grass green tea material pesticide residues that do not meet standards was handled by the DCP. The agricultural units of each municipal and county government, according to health officials that visited farmers, farmers who are
in violation of pesticide management laws, received fines ranging between NT$15,000 and NT$150,000. In addition, safe pesticide advocacy, enhanced monitoring, regular follow-up inspections and the improvement of education courses on safe pesticide usage were implemented. The MHW will strengthen the inspection of major sources from vendors.

Because the majority of consumers enjoy prefer buying a variety of green grass tea materials for heating and the rich taste of green grass tea beverages, business operators also seek the approval of consumers and sell exclusive or secret ancestral formulas of green grass tea bags. Consequently, the DCP has also requested that the COA and the MWH continue to strengthen the management of other often-used pesticides and residues for green grass tea materials.

Moreover, in order to ensure the health of the public, consumers should not freely pick roadside plants as materials for green grass tea because countryside offices (in townships, cities and districts) will occasionally spray pesticides in order to maintain landscaping alongside roads and for the sake of environmental sanitation (for example, dengue fever).