《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 COA announces results of inquiry into feed-oil firms

NO VIOLATIONS YET: The investigation into four firms found that feed oil imported from Vietnam was used correctly, while results on two more are still pending

By Sean Lin and Stacy Hsu / Staff reporters

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The Council of Agriculture （COA） yesterday announced the preliminary results of its investigation into six companies that allegedly imported animal-feed-grade oils from Vietnam-based Dai Hanh Phuc Co, finding that four of the companies sold 5,110 tonnes of the imported oil to feed manufacturers, while 144 tonnes went to industrial use.

According to COA Animal Husbandry Department Director Huang Kuo-ching （黃國青）, on-site inspections carried out at the facilities of Cheng Yi （丞億）, Cheng Chih （丞鋕）, Hao Yi （澔藝） and Kun Kuei （坤桂）, which involved an analysis of sales invoices, found that the four companies sold 5,110 of the 5,224 tonnes of feed oil they had acquired from the Vietnamese oil manufacturer to feed manufacturers, while the rest were sold to industrial companies.

The COA’s Animal Husbandry Department said that no violations had been found so far, although, the results are still outstanding of an investigation into Yong Cheng Oil Feed （永成油脂） and Ching Wei Co （進威油脂）, whose files have been seized by prosecutors for their alleged involvement in supplying feed oil to a food company and manufacturing animal feed with waste oil respectively.

Apart from Ting Hsin International Group （頂新集團）, Cheng I Food Co （正義股份） and Yong Cheng Oil Feed, who allegedly used the feed-grade oil in the manufacturing of cooking oil, and the above six firms, the remaining seven firms imported products that were not feed-oil-based, such as animal bone powders, saccharine and diesel fuel, the investigation showed.

The findings by the COA and the Food and Drug Administration （FDA） so far have only determined how 8,626 tonnes of the 43,000 tonnes of feed oil exported by Dai Hanh Phuc to Taiwan were used, leaving the use of more than 34,000 tonnes of feed oil unexplained.

Meanwhile, FDA Interim Director-General Chiang Yu-mei （姜郁美） said her agency’s priority is to determine whether the approximately 2,600 tonnes of beef tallow and coconut oil imported from Dai Hanh Phuc Co over the past three years were intended for human consumption.

“Our records showed that Dai Hanh Phuc Co shipped a total of nearly 6,000 tonnes of oils listed as ‘fit for human use’ to Taiwan, including 3,400 tonnes of lard and 2,600 tonnes of beef tallow and coconut oil,” Chiang said.

All the oils were purchased by three Taiwanese firms: Ting Hsin Oil and Fat Industrial Co （頂新製油實業）, Cheng I Food Co and Yong Cheng Oil Co, Chiang said.

“Ting Hsin Oil procured all three kinds of oil, while Cheng I and Yung Cheng only bought lard and coconut oil respectively,” Chiang said, adding that the FDA has instructed the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hanoi to help ascertain whether the imported beef tallow and coconut oil were meant for human use or for animal feed.

Prosecutors have sealed the questionable goods pending further investigation and have sent samples of the oils to the FDA’s laboratory for testing, she added.

According to the office’s response to the FDA’s inquiries regarding the Vietnamese company earlier this month, the lard Ting Hsin Oil purchased from Dai Hanh Phuc Co was meant for animal feed.

In related news, Minister of Finance Chang Sheng-ford （張盛和） yesterday said his ministry would clarify the destinations of all the oils meant for animal feed imported from Vietnam over the next two to three days.

“According to the data held by the ministry, more than 80 percent of the oils meant for animal feed imported from Vietnam to Taiwan have been sent to mixed feed plants,” Chang said in a legislative question-and-answer session.

The Ministry of Finance is to adopt a separate inspection system next month for cooking oils, oils meant for animal feed and oils for industrial use, following instructions from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, he added.（Additional reporting by Amy Su）

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES