Hong Kong steps up checks after pesticides found in tea from Taiwan

Hong Kong will step up inspections of imported tea leaves after Taiwan detected pesticides in tea sold by six of the island's companies, local food authorities say.

None of the tea leaves in question had so far been found among imports, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said yesterday.

One affected cafe chain, Coffee Alley, runs two stores locally - in Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay. Coffee Alley's local office said it suspended sales of its jasmine and rose teas about three weeks ago, after tea leaves of another Taiwanese chain, England Stornaway, tested positive for pesticides.

Hsu Yi-hao, the local manager of Coffee Alley, said most people visited their shops for coffee.

"We have only one or two orders for tea every day. Not many people order tea," he said.

Hsu said stores in both Hong Kong and Taiwan received their tea from the same supplier. A new supplier had been found pending approval, he said.