Chung Hsing Oil Case: Kinmen Jointly Inspects Catering Facilities in Schools and Communities

(Central News Agency, reporter Wu Wen-hsing, Kinmen, July 6) The issue of carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene exceeding the standard in Chung Hsing cooking oil has sparked food safety concerns. The Kinmen County Government has launched a cross-departmental investigation into the use of cooking oil in catering facilities such as school lunches, welfare institutions, and community care centers. Preliminary checks confirm that no problematic oil has been used.

According to a press release issued by the Kinmen County Health Bureau today, the county government has activated a cross-departmental response mechanism. The Health Bureau, in conjunction with the Education Bureau and the Social Affairs Bureau, is comprehensively investigating the use of cooking oil in school lunches, childcare institutions, welfare institutions, community care centers, day care centers, and institutional group meals.

The Education Bureau stated that it immediately notified all affiliated elementary and middle schools to conduct a thorough inventory of cooking oil used and stocked for school lunches, verifying brands, items, and batch numbers. After self-inspection by all 25 elementary and middle schools in the county (including branch campuses and Jincheng Kindergarten), it was preliminarily confirmed that no problematic cooking oil subject to recall by health authorities has been used.

The Social Affairs Bureau stated that Deputy Secretary-General Li Kuang-jung, along with Social Affairs Bureau Director Wang Tzu-hsun and others, visited childcare institutions, welfare institutions, and community care centers under its jurisdiction to conduct a comprehensive investigation into oil usage. Among these, four public infant and toddler care centers, four public childcare homes, and one private infant and toddler care center have not used the announced non-compliant cooking oil. Although Houtou Community Public Childcare Home had used Taishan vegetable oil, it was not from the announced non-compliant batch. Nevertheless, based on the principle of preventive food safety management, they proactively stopped using it and completed the replacement.

The Social Affairs Bureau pointed out that regarding welfare institutions, Songbai Garden, Futian Home, and Datong Home are currently using cooking oil, and investigations show that none of them are products subject to the announced recall. Furthermore, all 44 community care centers in the county have completed their inspections and have not used any announced non-compliant cooking oil. Among them, two centers proactively reported previously stocked oil of a non-compliant brand (different batch numbers). After being notified by the county government, these oils were immediately returned to the supplier and did not enter the catering supply chain.

The Kinmen County Government stated that it will continue to closely monitor the latest announcements from the central government, dynamically strengthen cross-departmental joint inspection and management mechanisms, continuously track the flow of affected products, and supervise relevant businesses to implement self-management and preventive measures, jointly safeguarding food safety in schools, communities, and various catering facilities. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150706

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