Taiwan health authorities said unsafe levels of pesticide residue has been detected in strawberries and green tea products imported from Japan.

The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday on its website that residue exceeding legal limits was detected in fresh strawberries imported from Fukuoka Prefecture in December, as well as in green tea leaves, green tea powder, green tea milk powder and red tea powder imported from Tokyo and Kyoto, Shizuoka and Aichi prefectures.

Ministry authorities said all products would either be sent back to Japan or destroyed in Taiwan.

Health authorities in Taiwan have beefed up inspection efforts following a series of food safety scandals involving cooking oil, rice, soy sauce, milk and alcohol.

A public poll conducted by a newspaper selected "fake" as the Chinese character that best summed up 2013.