Taipei: Soybean salad oil products sold by three different companies in Taiwan are being recalled after a batch was found to contain excessive levels of a carcinogenic substance, Taiwan's food and drug regulator said Wednesday.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) announced that it had been notified by edible oil manufacturer Central Union Oil Corp. (CUOC) earlier this week about 1,300 metric tons of its product containing 8.1 micrograms per kilogram of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), exceeding the regulatory limit of 2.0 µg/kg. BaP is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The contaminated soybean oil batch was supplied by CUOC to Taisun Enterprise Co., Fwusow Industry Co., and Formosa Oilseed Processing Co. (FOPCO), as reported by the TFDA. Shipments occurred on April 8, 9, and 10, with 588 metric tons delivered to FOPCO, 421 metric tons to Fwusow, and 291 metric tons to Taisun, according to Hsu Chao-kai, head of the TFDA's Division of Food Safety.
Hsu stated that the three companies initiated product recalls upon being notified by the manufacturer. Health authorities will monitor the recall process and ensure that the supplier reviews its production procedures.
Consumers who purchased the contaminated soybean oil are advised not to consume it and should seek refunds through the companies' recall channels. The TFDA reminded food businesses to suspend sales immediately if products pose potential health and safety risks and to initiate recalls and notify local health authorities. Failure to comply may result in fines ranging from NT$30,000 (US$941.08) to NT$3 million.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Taichung-based CUOC announced the formation of a task force to investigate the cause of the contamination and apologized to the public for the incident.