Carcinogenic Oil Spreads, Over a Thousand Businesses Across Taiwan Affected! Insiders Reveal 'One Brand' That Perfectly Avoided the Crisis, Praised as 'Affordable, Simple Ingredients, Ethical Company'

The discovery of超标 levels of 'benzopyrene' in Zhonglian Oils' soybean salad oil has triggered a nationwide food safety crisis in Taiwan, affecting multiple well-known brands and forcing over a thousand downstream businesses into turmoil. Amid this escalating crisis, a netizen's post on Threads highlighted that the long-established food manufacturer 'I-Mei Foods' once again perfectly avoided the carcinogenic oil scandal, sparking massive online discussion. Many users praised I-Mei as an 'ethical company', crediting its in-house oil production and rigorous oversight by its nationally accredited food testing laboratory as the key reasons it has repeatedly escaped major food safety disasters across Taiwan.

After the food safety crisis erupted, a user posted on Threads: 'I-Mei once again perfectly avoided Zhonglian's carcinogenic oil. After past food safety scandals, I-Mei aggressively promoted in-house oil production and established its own nationally accredited food testing laboratory. Plus, they even founded a domestic drone company last year. There's really no reason not to support I-Mei with New Taiwan Dollars.' This post quickly resonated with tens of thousands.

Netizens analyzed that I-Mei's repeated ability to avoid large-scale food safety incidents stems from its structural internal safeguards: 'in-house oil production and pricing strategy', 'nationally accredited testing laboratory', and 'commitment to simpler formulations'.

Many consumers commented: 'Looking back, from gutter oil, toxic starch, plasticizers to carcinogenic oil, I-Mei has avoided them all—this proves they're truly capable', 'I-Mei's CEO Kao Chi-Ming is a visionary, ethical entrepreneur who loves Taiwan', 'They're really impressive, having dodged several major food safety crises', 'I-Mei really has a nationally accredited laboratory—it's top-tier in the food industry', 'I just bought I-Mei black tea and saw its ingredients: water, sugar, black tea—no other additives. Delicious and affordable', 'Twelve years ago, almost all food companies were affected, but only I-Mei, with its national-level lab and Food Research Institute (over 20 master's and PhD-level scientists), used 16 types of advanced instruments to inspect materials. When I see I-Mei, I feel at ease', 'I-Mei is truly a lifelong favorite'.

In fact, after past food safety incidents, I-Mei aggressively promoted 'in-house oil production' and has remained highly vigilant against abnormally low-priced oils on the market, refusing to blindly pursue cheap raw materials.

Additionally, I-Mei has built a top-tier nationally accredited food testing laboratory internally. During the past plasticizer scandal, I-Mei used this lab to conduct strict screenings even before government regulations were established, blocking raw materials containing plasticizers from entering the factory.

In terms of formulation, I-Mei insists on simplifying recipes to reduce the risks of using unknown or complex additives. I-Mei's CEO Kao Chi-Ming has repeatedly emphasized his management philosophy: 'Food is an industry for honest people; it's a matter of conscience.'

From gutter oil and toxic starch to carcinogenic oil—netizens praise I-Mei as 'truly capable', but also urge 'low-key support' to prevent complacency

However, some rational netizens cautioned against over-glorifying or excessively praising any single company. One user stated: 'I-Mei can make mistakes too, but they correct them—that's corporate responsibility. We shouldn't over-praise them, or the company might forget its mission. Let's support them quietly.' This emphasizes the importance of maintaining consumer oversight.

Not perfect, but maintains trust through honest accountability

In fact, I-Mei Foods has not been completely error-free in its history. Looking back, in 2013, during the production of its popular 'Little Puffs' product, the company used expired 'soy protein isolate'. After the incident, I-Mei immediately apologized publicly and conducted a large-scale refund campaign. There have also been objective cases where fresh milk, despite being within its shelf life, curdled or spoiled.

The food industry and consumers generally agree that no company can guarantee absolute perfection. Most of I-Mei's past controversies were due to internal SOP control lapses or improper expiration date management—not malicious fraud. Despite not being flawless, I-Mei has repeatedly built defensive lines through its nationally accredited laboratory and in-house oil production, successfully avoiding nationwide systemic food safety crises such as carcinogenic oil and plasticizers. This is a major reason why I-Mei continues to earn high trust and recognition from many consumers.