Chung Lien Oil's Soybean Salad Oil Exceeds Benzo[a]pyrene Limits; Taichung City Government Orders Halt to Operations

(CNA, reporter Hao Xueqing, Taichung, July 1) Chung Lien Oil Company voluntarily reported that its soybean salad oil exceeded the "benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)" limit. The Taichung City Government's Food Safety Office stated today that it immediately conducted a joint inspection, ordered the company to cease operations immediately, and to recall all products.

Chung Lien Oil Co., Ltd. voluntarily reported that its soybean salad oil exceeded the "benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)" limit. The Taichung City Department of Food and Drug Safety explained that after receiving the report yesterday, it immediately launched a joint inspection with the Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. It has been confirmed that the problematic batch of oil, totaling approximately 1,300 metric tons, has been supplied to three companies: Fwusow Industry Co., Ltd., Formosa Oilseed Processing Co., Ltd., and Tai Shan Enterprise Co., Ltd.

The Food Safety Office stated that in addition to immediately ordering Chung Lien Oil to completely halt its production line and shipments, it also demanded the company to immediately recall the products and to trace their distribution and quantities in the market. If the company fails to rectify the situation by the deadline, it will be fined between NT$30,000 and NT$3 million in accordance with the "Food Safety and Sanitation Act," with no leniency.

The Food Safety Office pointed out that according to the joint inspection team's investigation, the problematic batch of oil was shipped to Formosa Oilseed Processing Co., Ltd., Fwusow Industry Co., Ltd., and Tai Shan Enterprise Co., Ltd. between April 8 and April 10 of this year. Chung Lien Oil has notified its downstream partners to initiate recalls simultaneously.

The Food Safety Office stated that in addition to demanding Chung Lien Oil immediately stop using the problematic batch of products, it has also implemented strict control measures, requiring the company to completely suspend production and shipments of that line until the cause of process contamination is clarified, improvements are made, and the products pass inspection, to ensure that problematic products do not enter the market again.

The Food Safety Office explained that "benzo[a]pyrene" is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon commonly found in high-temperature processing of oils and fats, and it carries potential health risks. If it is subsequently found that the company has evaded, concealed, or failed to report as required, it will face a fine of NT$30,000 to NT$3 million.

Benzo[a]pyrene is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). (Editor: Yang Sheng-ru) 1150701

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