離開
進入《TAIPEI TIMES》Recalls for Central Union oil reaches 17.422 tonnes
Food and Drug Administration Director-General Chiang Chih-kang, center, speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Staff writer, with CNA
The Central Union oil contamination case has affected 18 products across 30 production batches, the Food and Drug Administration （FDA） said yesterday, adding that so far, recalls have been completed for six products, totaling 17.422 tonnes.
The FDA on Wednesday said it was notified by Central Union Oil Corp on Tuesday night that its internal testing had detected benzopyrene levels of 8.1 micrograms per kilogram in 1,300 tonnes of soy-based cooking oil, exceeding the legal limit of 2 micrograms per kilogram.
All affected oil had been supplied to three companies — Taisun Enterprise Co, Fwusow Industry Co and Formosa Oilseed Processing Co — between April 8 and April 10, and they acted immediately to recall the products after being informed of the irregularity, the FDA said.
In line with the Guidelines for Handling Food Safety Violations Involving Product Recalls, Removal, Seizure and Destruction （食品違規案件-產品下架、回收、封存、銷毀階層之處理原則）, the case has been classified as a Category 8 violation for failing to meet food hygiene standards, which requires a first-level recall and the removal of affected products from the market, FDA Director-General Chiang Chih-kang （姜至剛） told a news conference yesterday afternoon.
The FDA has ordered the recall of Central Union’s soybean oils that have the batch number 315-1150404, manufactured on April 4 and expiring on Sept. 30, along with any products repackaged from the affected batch, Chiang said.
CONTROL SYSTEMS
For manufacturers of food-grade vegetable oils with paid-in capital exceeding NT$30 million （US$939,555）, the FDA applies a three-tier quality control system, he said.
The first requires regular in-house testing by manufacturers, the second mandates independent third-party testing at least once every six months, and the third consists of post-market sampling and inspections by the FDA, he added.
“The case involves multiple counties and cities, as well as multiple production batches, so the FDA has set a deadline for completing the recall, which expires at noon today,” Chiang said.
The goal is to remove the affected products from the market as quickly as possible to protect public health, he added.
The FDA would also promptly release updated recall figures as they become available to ensure that the public has access to accurate and timely information, Chiang said.
Benzopyrene is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
