Check Your Cooking Oil Immediately! Two Bitter Tea Oil Products Found Contaminated with Carcinogen – Batch Numbers, Cotton Field, Uni-President Organics: Full Refund Process Explained

Following the recent benzopyrene contamination incident involving Chung Lien Oils, another food safety concern has emerged in Taiwan’s edible oil sector. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has clarified that this case is unrelated to the previous Chung Lien incident.

Late last night, Lien-Ching Green Technology Co., Ltd. voluntarily reported to the New Taipei City Health Bureau and the FDA that its product, 'Lien-Ching Bitter Tea Oil,' tested positive for benzopyrene at 2.9 ppb (μg/kg), exceeding the national safety limit of 2.0 μg/kg. Benzopyrene is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

An investigation revealed that 939 bottles from the affected batch had already entered distribution channels, specifically through two major organic retail chains: 'Cotton Field Organics' and 'Uni-President Organics Health & Organic Supermarket.' Both retailers have immediately removed all related products from shelves.

In response, Cotton Field issued an urgent announcement today (23rd), stating that full refunds will be provided to all customers who purchased the affected batch—regardless of whether the product has been opened or if a receipt is available.

FDA North Regional Office Director Liu Fang-Ming emphasized that this incident is entirely separate from the Chung Lien case. While the Chung Lien case involved soybean oil, this case involves bitter tea seeds. However, both incidents share a common cause: benzopyrene formation during high-temperature processing.

Benzopyrene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) commonly formed during high-heat cooking processes such as frying, grilling, or charring. Its presence in food products raises significant health concerns.

The New Taipei City Health Bureau has ordered Lien-Ching to suspend all operations and halt sales of its bitter tea oil products. The FDA will assist in testing five sample products from the company.

▼ Affected Bitter Tea Oil Products and Batch Numbers:

- Organic Bitter Tea Oil 250mL (Batch No.: 26V224XW01) - Uni-President Organics Cold-Pressed Bitter Tea Oil 250mL (Batch No.: 26S624XW01)

Refund Process for Contaminated Oil Purchased from Cotton Field: Opened or Receipt-Free Refunds Accepted

Cotton Field released an emergency statement today outlining the following measures:

【Full Refund Policy】 Consumers who purchased the affected batch (26V224XW01) can receive a full refund at any Cotton Field store nationwide, regardless of whether the product has been opened or a receipt is presented.

【Proactive Member Notification】 Cotton Field will cross-check its sales records to identify and directly contact affected members to ensure consumer rights are protected.

Although the product previously held certification from Tzu-Hsin Organic Certification (Certificate No. 1-009-210167), Cotton Field has announced it will pursue legal accountability from both the supplier and the certification body.

Q1: Is this Lien-Ching bitter tea oil benzopyrene incident related to the previous 'Chung Lien Oil Case'? A: No, it is not related. The FDA has confirmed that the raw materials differ—Chung Lien used soybeans, while Lien-Ching used bitter tea seeds. The only similarity is the overproduction of benzopyrene during high-temperature processing.

Q2: If I’ve already opened and consumed the contaminated batch, can I still get a refund? A: Yes. Cotton Field has explicitly stated that as long as the product matches the announced batch number, customers can receive a full refund regardless of opening status or receipt possession.

Q3: How many contaminated bottles have entered the market? A: A total of 5,024 bottles were produced in this batch. Of these, 939 have been sold through Cotton Field and Uni-President Organics. The remaining unsold inventory has been fully sealed and withheld from distribution.