The “Sea Flavor Shrimp Cutlet Burger” and “Sea Flavor Double-Layered Shrimp Cutlet Burger” were pulled from sale at 10:30 a.m., just one day after their launch, Taipei Times reported.
McDonald’s said the importer reported late Wednesday that self-testing had found 0.7 parts per billion of nitrofurans and their metabolites in samples of the cutlets, Focus Taiwan reported.
The company said suppliers had previously provided certified documents for the seafood ingredients.
The fast-food chain stopped using the cutlets and said it would refund customers who bought the two burgers on Wednesday or Thursday morning. It apologized to customers and said refund procedures would be announced within a week.
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The limited-edition Sea Flavor Fried Double Shrimp Burger (L) and the Sea Flavor Fried Shrimp Burger. Photo courtesy of McDonald’s Taiwan |
McDonald’s will conduct additional tests and work with suppliers and testing laboratories to clarify the results.
Nitrofurans are broad-spectrum antibiotics effective against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and banned in many countries and territories including Taiwan, said Yen Tzung-hai, director of the Clinical Poison Center at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, as quoted by Taipei Times.
Animal studies have raised concerns over their potential carcinogenic effects, although no evidence has confirmed an increased cancer risk in humans, Yen said.
McDonald’s Hong Kong has temporarily removed its popular Ebi Burger series from its menu as a “precautionary measure” following a similar suspension in Taiwan over food safety concerns, the South China Morning Post reported.
In a statement to Sing Tao Daily, The Standard’s sister publication, McDonald’s Hong Kong said its shrimp patties are supplied by a global supplier based in Thailand.
The company stressed that the recipe and specific ingredient batches used in Hong Kong are completely different from those supplied to its Taiwan outlets.