Taiwan Finds Toxic Chemical in Fish

Taiwan authorities say they have found a cancer causing chemical in fresh fish from farms on the island, following recent scares in Hong Kong about tainted fish.

Health officials in Taiwan Thursday said tests at Taipei markets of grouper fish from farms in the south of the island turned up traces of the chemical, called malachite green.

The officials did not identify the farms, saying the investigation was continuing. Malachite green is used to treat certain kinds of infections in fish.

The development comes after Hong Kong health officials found the chemical in eels and other fish shipped from the mainland. Hong Kong said traces of the chemical had also turned up in some fish from Taiwan.

Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.