What was detected in Lianjing bitter tea oil?

Benzopyrene, a Group 1 carcinogen, was found at 2.9ppb, exceeding the safety limit of 2.0ppb.

It was distributed through major organic retailers in Taiwan, including Cottonfield Organic Garden and Uni-President Organic Health Stores.

What should consumers do?

Stop using the product and contact the retailer or manufacturer for return and refund.

Where was the raw material sourced?

The tea seeds used in production were imported from China, suspected as the contamination source.

How will recurrence be prevented?

Stricter in-house testing for imported materials and tighter control over high-temperature processing are required.

Carcinogenic Oil Scandal Widens: 'Benzopyrene' Found in Bitter Tea Oil Exceeding Limits; Company Self-Reports, FDA Orders Sales Halt

Published Jul 23, 2026 3:16 PM ・ Updated Jul 23, 2026 4:14 PM ・ 4 min read ・ Source: PR Times

Lianjing Green Technology Co., Ltd. in New Taipei City self-reported benzopyrene contamination in its 'Lianjing Bitter Tea Oil' exceeding safety limits. The FDA and local health authorities have ordered an immediate sales suspension and initiated product recalls.

Lianjing Green Technology Co., Ltd. in New Taipei City has self-reported that its manufactured 'Lianjing Bitter Tea Oil' contains benzopyrene, a Group 1 carcinogen. The contaminated product's raw material—tea seeds—was imported from China. Early this morning (23rd), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the New Taipei City Health Bureau conducted an on-site inspection at the company, collecting five samples of bitter tea oil for testing, which the FDA will analyze. Subsequent actions by central and local authorities will be determined based on the test results.

The company reported late last night that benzopyrene levels in its bitter tea oil reached 2.9 ppb, exceeding the legal limit of 2.0 ppb. The FDA and New Taipei City Health Bureau visited the facility today to conduct audits. According to Liu Fang-Ming, Director of the FDA’s Northern Regional Office, the affected batch was produced by Lianjing and sold through retailers such as Cottonfield Organic Garden and Uni-President Organic Health Stores.

The New Taipei City Health Bureau has ordered the immediate suspension of all bitter tea oil sales. Lianjing stated that upon reporting to the city government, it proactively notified downstream distributors to fully remove and recall the related products from shelves.

Additional exclusive reports from Storm Media include: - Could the Zhonglian carcinogenic oil incident have been avoided? A critic reveals how eight years of legislative inaction under a single-party government led to disaster: 'The public consumed toxic oil for an extra 26 days.' - In the Zhonglian carcinogenic oil scandal, who is to blame—central or local government? A writer highlights a statement from the Ministry of Health and Welfare that 'exposes' the truth: 'Lu Hsiu-yen laughed.' - Has the culprit behind the carcinogenic oil been identified? Zhonglian relaxed soybean standards 'tenfold,' and Shih Chong-liang stated: 'Oil production processes were not properly controlled.'

FACT BOX

Source: PR Times
Category: News

Carcinogenic Oil Scandal Widens: 'Benzopyrene' Found in Bitter Tea Oil Exceeding Limits; Company Self-Reports, FDA Orders Sales Halt

⚡ Key Points

FACT BOX

Editorial & Verification Standards

FAQ

Cite this article — HOW TO CITE

AI CRAWLER ACTIVITY