9 Breakfast Shops Fail Inspection in Taiwan for Violations Including Expired Bread and Bacteria in Soy Milk

(CNA, Taipei, June 10) Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the results of an inspection of breakfast shops, with a total of 9 businesses found in violation. This includes chain operators such as Q Burger and Laya Burger, which were fined for failing to have product liability insurance and not labeling reconstituted meat on-site. Other businesses had violations such as using expired bread and having Enterobacteriaceae present in their soy milk.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration announced today via a press release the results of the "Year 115 Breakfast and Catering Industry Inspection Project," conducted jointly with local health bureaus. A total of 239 breakfast and catering businesses were inspected, and 276 finished products and related ingredients were tested, resulting in an overall compliance rate of 99.6%. This round uncovered 9 non-compliant operators.

According to FDA data, the list of violators included chain breakfast shops. Q Burger's Zhongshun branch in Taipei was found to have failed to purchase product liability insurance as required. Laya Burger's Zhuangjing branch in Taipei was not in compliance for using reconstituted meat without on-site labeling. The Taipei City Department of Health imposed fines of NT$30,000 on each for violating Articles 13 and 25 of the Food Safety Act.

Two Kelimchen Food locations appeared on the list of violators, including the Taitung Mazu Temple branch and the Kaohsiung City Yongren branch. The former's menu listed "Cod-flavor Fish Burger and Cod-flavor Fish Sticks," but the product's ingredient was reconstituted basa fish, not cod, making the name inconsistent with the product. The latter's menu labeled an item as "Fresh Milk Tea," but it was prepared with a milk-based beverage. The Kaohsiung City Department of Health issued a combined fine of NT$80,000 for both cases.

Additionally, Zaoren Breakfast Shop in Hualien County was on the list of violators. Wei Jen-ting, director of the FDA's Southern Regional Center, told CNA reporters that when inspectors visited the site on January 21 this year, they found 40 unopened bagels that had expired on January 3 and January 18 of this year, 10 maple croissants that had expired on December 20 of last year and January 18 of this year, and one loaf of fine toast that had expired on January 19 of this year. A fine of NT$60,000 was imposed.

At Shanlin Enterprise's Heping branch in Taipei City, inspectors found a failure to label the origin of beef and pork raw materials and non-compliance with reconstituted meat regulations, as well as a menu item labeled "Fresh Milk Tea" that was prepared with a milk-based beverage. The FDA stated that the health department imposed a total fine of NT$70,000 for violations of Articles 25 and 28 of the Food Safety Act.

Hong Ji Doujiang Dawang in Taipei was also on the list. Wei Jen-ting pointed out that an initial test of their "qingjiang" (unsweetened soy milk) revealed an Enterobacteriaceae count of 15 CFU/mL, exceeding the normal value of 10 CFU/mL. This inspection item reflects the operator's sanitary quality, indicating problems with the environment, utensils, production process, or soy milk storage, leading to microbial growth. The health department issued a fine of NT$30,000. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150610