Singapore recalls food products from Taiwan on unapproved additive

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore announced Sunday that 11 starch-based products from Taiwan, mostly tapioca starch balls used in preparation of bubble tea beverages, have been withdrawn from sale.

The authority had conducted tests on 66 starch-based products from Taiwan, 11 of which have been approved to contain maleic acid, an unapproved food additive.

The authority said they had "informed the importers of the affected products to withdraw them from sale immediately and withdrawal has been completed."

"Consumers who have bought these products should either return them to the retailer or discard them and not consume them," it said in a statement.

The statement followed the recall of Sunright brand tapioca balls in Singapore when Taiwan Food and Drug Administration issued an alert on the detection of maleic acid in some food products manufactured in Taiwan.

It is said that occasional consumption at the levels detected by Taiwan authority does not pose any significant health risk. " However, long term consumption of high levels of maleic acid can cause kidney damage," quoted the statement of Singapore's authority on May 17.