Pai Wei Foods indicted for soaking pork intestines in industrial chemicals

Taipei, Jan. 20 (CNA) Prosecutors in southern Taiwan on Tuesday said Pai Wei Foods Co., its owner and two employees have been indicted for allegedly soaking spoiled pork intestines in industrial-grade hydrogen peroxide before selling them on the market.

The Pingtung District Prosecutors Office said the company's owner surnamed Yang (楊) ordered staff to soak the spoiled pork intestines in industrial hydrogen peroxide to improve their appearance and increase sales, resulting in 2,355 kilograms of tainted products entering the market.

Prosecutors said Yang made the decision after customers repeatedly complained about the color and quality of the intestines, instructing a staff member to purchase industrial hydrogen peroxide at NT$900 (US$29) per barrel. Nine barrels were bought in February and August last year.

Beginning in June, Yang allegedly directed two employees, surnamed Su (蘇) and Chen (陳), to carry out the bleaching process three times a week at the company's Pingtung facility after the intestines were cooked.

The employees reportedly mixed 200 milliliters of industrial hydrogen peroxide with water to soak and stir intestines deemed visually unappealing, packaging them for sale once the odor was eliminated.

Between June and September a total of 2,355 kilograms of intestines were sold at NT$140 to NT$150 per kilogram, according to the indictment.

Prosecutors said the defendants knowingly used industrial chemicals not approved for food processing, posing a potential risk to public health.

Yang was indicted for violating the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, with prosecutors seeking a prison sentence of more than two years and a NT$1 million fine. Su and Chen each face sentences of more than one year in prison and fines of NT$150,000.

Pai Wei Foods was also indicted and faces a criminal fine.