Taipei City Announces Launch of 'Toxic Oil Consultation Clinic' – Minister Shi: Food Safety is Scientific, Public Need Not Panic

In response to the detection of benzo[a]pyrene, a carcinogenic substance, exceeding safety limits in tea seed oil sold in Taipei, the Taipei City Government announced on the 29th that the Taipei City United Hospital will open an 'Edible Oil Health Consultation Clinic' starting July 30. The clinic will be staffed by family medicine and pediatric physicians, offering free consultations and health assessments to residents concerned about consuming contaminated oil.

Minister of Health and Welfare, Dr. Shi Jong-yueh, stated on the 30th during a legislative session that this incident once again highlights the necessity of collaboration between central and local governments on food safety. He added that the government will continuously review and adjust its inspection priorities based on ongoing investigation findings.

Previously, benzo[a]pyrene levels exceeding the legal limit were found in soybean salad oil produced by Zhonglian Oils and tea seed oil from Lianjing Green Technology in New Taipei City. In Taipei, YFY Biotech voluntarily reported that its 'Local Golden Flower Snack Tea Seed Oil' tested at 2.9 ppb of benzo[a]pyrene, surpassing the 2 ppb safety threshold, raising public concern over whether inspections should be expanded.

Dr. Shi explained that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received YFY’s notification yesterday, prompting immediate product removal and investigation in coordination with Taipei authorities. The contaminated oil was manufactured at an oil mill in Chiayi County, requiring cross-county collaboration. He emphasized that food safety requires joint efforts among central, local, and even inter-county agencies to effectively safeguard public health.

Shi stressed that cooking oil is essential in daily life, making oil safety critically important. The FDA conducts annual targeted inspections, with local governments also implementing their own special programs. Inspection priorities for the following year are determined based on risk assessments and historical data, and will be dynamically adjusted. The benzo[a]pyrene standard has been in effect since 2019, and a special inspection was conducted in 2024 requiring all counties and cities to test oil products for benzo[a]pyrene. Moving forward, inspection priorities will be refined based on comprehensive analysis of investigation results.

Yesterday, Taipei became the first city to announce the launch of the 'Edible Oil Health Consultation Clinic' at its United Hospital starting July 30. Family medicine and pediatric physicians will offer specialized consultations for adults and children respectively, providing free health advice and risk evaluation to concerned residents.

Regarding Taipei’s initiative, Dr. Shi reiterated that food safety is a scientific issue, and all policies must be based on scientific evidence and risk assessment. He noted that benzo[a]pyrene poses a long-term cumulative risk rather than acute toxicity, so the public need not panic. While acknowledging Taipei’s decision as a local consideration, the Ministry of Health and Welfare expressed respect for the city’s approach.