Taiwan’s tainted oil recall widens to more than 400 products as political row grows
A batch of soybean oil supplied by Taichung-based Central Union Oil was found to contain excessive levels of benzo[a]pyrene, a carcinogenic compound.
Officers from Taichung City’s Office of Food and Drug Safety inspecting products, amid a precautionary recall of more than 400 food products linked to contaminated soybean oil. (Photo: Facebook/Taichung City Government)
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TAIPEI: Taiwan on Wednesday (Jul 8) widened a precautionary recall of food products linked to contaminated soybean oil, with more than 400 items, including packaged meals and instant noodles, now reportedly ordered to be pulled from shelves.
The expanding food safety scare has also triggered a political row, with opposition lawmakers accusing the government of mishandling the response and calling for the health minister and other senior officials to resign.
The case came to light on Jul 1 after the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) said Taichung-based edible oil supplier Central Union Oil had detected excessive levels of benzo[a]pyrene in a batch of “soybean salad oil”.
Benzo[a]pyrene is classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. It is a type of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, which is formed during the incomplete burning of organic materials such as coal, oil, tobacco and wood.
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About 1,300 metric tonnes of the affected oil had been found to contain 8.1 micrograms per kg of benzo[a]pyrene, more than four times Taiwan’s legal limit of 2 micrograms per kg.
The affected oil was distributed to three food manufacturers – Tai Sun Enterprise, Fwusow Industry and Formosa Oilseed Processing. It was shipped between Apr 8 and 10, a TFDA official said on Wednesday.
The recall has expanded in stages. An initial recall was launched on Jul 1, targeting the problem oil and the products made by the three companies.
On Jul 4, this was expanded to further downstream products containing at least 20 per cent of the affected oil. This was widened on Jul 7 to cover all downstream products made with the affected oil, regardless of the proportion used.
The list of recalled products released by the TFDA comprised 401 items as of Wednesday, local media reported. It includes salad dressings, seasoning sauces, bakery fillings, ready-to-eat food, as well as flavoured sauces.
The agency said on Tuesday that it had already contacted 331 affected businesses and was still tracing the remaining 29.
In a press conference on Thursday, Taiwan’s Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang said all products linked to the tainted cooking oil between April and June must be removed from store shelves by Friday noon.
Central Union Oil has been fined NT$165.2 million (US$5.2 million) over the incident.
Shih said on Tuesday that the company did not immediately report the issue, and had also provided inaccurate information during the probe.
GROWING POLITICAL ROW
As authorities work to contain the fallout, the expanding recall has become a political issue in Taiwan.
According to local news outlet Focus Taiwan, a Legislative Yuan committee on Wednesday approved a motion proposed by opposition lawmakers calling for Premier Cho Jung-tai, Shih and TFDA’s Director-General Chiang Chih-kang to step down.
The motion called for the three to apologise to the public and resign to take responsibility.
Criticism has focused on the changing scope of the recall, with the opposition lawmakers questioning why the measures were expanded in stages as authorities traced the affected oil through the supply chain.
Shih said he was willing to apologise for the inconvenience and confusion caused by the changes, Focus Taiwan reported. Authorities would review accountability after a full investigation was carried out, he added.
Source: Agencies/CNA/lk(ws)
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