The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) warned about potentially harmful chemicals in food and drinks imported from Taiwan. A consumer advisory issued by the CFIA stated that the agency was working with other international agencies to find out whether edible items containing DEHP (Di-Ethyl Hexyl Phthalate), part of a family of chemicals who are carcinogenic and cause reproductive problems, might be on sale in Canada.

Taiwan and its neighboring countries have been hit with a scare about this chemical finding its way into food items it exports. The food safety scares over the usage of these chemical phthalates originated with them being discovered in a wide range of edible products.

Recently, the CFIA issued a recall on six fruit juices and jams under the brand names Possmei and Trojan being distributed by Kuo Hua Trading Company Ltd in British Columbia. However, the CFIA maintained that the risk level was low. They stated that compounds like DEHP cause health problems only if an individual is exposed to them for a long period.

Canada’s federal government issued a new set of rules restricting the usage of six phthalates class of chemicals in toys and child-care articles. Taiwan saw a wave of recalls recently. The worst affected were teas, sports drinks and food powders, with reports stating that up to hundreds of thousands of bottles of beverages and tens of thousands of kilograms of food have been recalled.