Soybean Salad Oil Exceeds Benzopyrene Limits; KMT Legislator Calls for Review of Source Management

Taipei, July 4 (CNA) -- Following the discovery that carcinogenic benzopyrene levels in Chung Lien's "Soybean Salad Oil" exceeded regulatory limits, raising food safety concerns, Kuomintang (KMT) legislator Chang Chia-chun stated today that source management for edible oils, inspection frequency, traceability systems, and information disclosure mechanisms should be comprehensively reviewed. Transparency, she argued, is the only way to truly rebuild public trust in food safety.

The contamination of Chung Lien's "Soybean Salad Oil" with carcinogenic benzopyrene has affected 1,300 metric tons of product, which flowed to three major brands: Tai Shan, Fu Shou, and Fu Mao. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on July 3 that 18 product items across 30 batches were affected. Of these, 6 items totaling 17.422 metric tons have been accounted for. The FDA also stated that second-tier products pose a low risk and their names will not be disclosed.

Chang Chia-chun issued a press release today, emphasizing that food safety knows no political party, only the health of the people. She asserted that in the face of this edible oil incident, the FDA should have honestly informed the public and fully disclosed information from the outset, allowing consumers to know if they were affected, upholding the public's right to know.

Chang Chia-chun pointed out that the core of food safety management is not just scientific testing, but also information transparency. The government's duty is to disclose the complete flow of products, affected items, and relevant inspection reports, enabling the public to make their own judgments, rather than the government deciding for them, "You don't need to know."

Chang Chia-chun expressed her complete inability to accept the FDA's decision to withhold information, calling it a "cover-up." She stated that such actions will not reduce public panic, and that the biggest fear in a food safety crisis is not the problem itself, but the concealment of the problem.

Chang Chia-chun concluded that this incident necessitates a comprehensive review of edible oil source management, inspection frequency, traceability systems, and information disclosure mechanisms to prevent a recurrence of past food safety lessons learned in Taiwan. Only through openness and transparency can public trust in food safety be truly rebuilt. (Editor: Chai Ssu-chia) 1150704)

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