Taiwan's government previously banned the presence of any residues of the pesticide endosulfan on any apples sold in the country, but it announced Sunday that endosulfan residues of up to 0.5 ppm would now be acceptable.

"All apples, whether imported or locally grown, will be subject to the new endosulfan inspection level," said Hsieh Ting-hung, deputy director of the Bureau of Food Safety under the Cabinet-level Department of Health (DOH).

Hsieh said the new norm was set after consulting joint standards established by the World Health Organization and the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, as well as U.S. and European norms as part of an overall effort to review standards for residues of various pesticides in different agricultural products.

The new endosulfan standard for apples, which will take effect three days after being officially promulgated, has sparked criticism from consumer advocates.

Sun Lih-chyun, an associate professor in National Taiwan University's College of Bio-Resources and Agriculture and a member of the nonprofit Consumers' Foundation, cited the foundation and local farmers' associations as suspecting whether the U.S. has exerted political pressure on Taiwan to force it to lower food safety standards.

The U.S. is one of the main sources of apples sold in Taiwan, along with Japan, New Zealand and Chile.

Sun said two shipments of American apples were rejected earlier this year by Taiwanese authorities because they were found to have endosulfan residues ranging from 0.02 ppm to 0.04 ppm.

According to information from the Cabinet-level Consumer Protection Commission, two U.S. apple shipments were rejected in February and six more in March, mostly because they were found to have endosulfan residues.

Gaston Wu, a professor at National Taiwan Normal University and secretary-general of the Consumers' Foundation, said many local fruit growers have filed complaints with the foundation over the government's decision to lower the standard for the pesticide in apples.

Ja-liang Lin, a clinical toxicology specialist with Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Linkou, said endosulfan is a highly toxic pesticide that affects the central nervous system.

"It should not be allowed to exist in any apple, as a large intake of it could lead to liver damage, the weakening of the immune system, and even amiscarriages," Lin said.