Soybean oil products recalled over excessive carcinogenic residues

Taipei, July 2 (CNA) 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.

In a news release, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) said it had been notified by edible oil manufacturer Central Union Oil Corp. (CUOC) earlier this week that 1,300 metric tons of its product were found to contain 8.1 micrograms per kilogram of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), exceeding the regulatory limit of 2.0 μg/kg.

BaP is a type of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon that can form during food processing or enter food through environmental contamination. It is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a specialized agency of the World Health Organization.

The tainted batch of soybean oil had been supplied by CUOC to Taisun Enterprise Co., Fwusow Industry Co., and Formosa Oilseed Processing Co. (FOPCO), the TFDA said.

The problematic batch was shipped on April 8, 9 and 10, with about 588 metric tons delivered to FOPCO, 421 metric tons to Fwusow, and 291 metric tons to Taisun, Hsu Chao-kai (許朝凱), head of the TFDA's Division of Food Safety, said at a news conference Wednesday.

Hsu said the three companies have all initiated product recalls after being notified by the manufacturer.

Health authorities will continue to monitor the removal and recall process and ensure that the supplier reviews its production procedures, he said.

Consumers who have already bought the tainted soybean oil should refrain from consuming it and should seek refunds through the companies' recall channels, the TFDA advised.

It reminded food businesses that if products are found to pose potential health and safety risks, sales must be immediately suspended.

In such cases, the businesses should initiate recalls and notify local health authorities, the TFDA said, warning that failure to do so may result in fines of NT$30,000 (US$941.08) to NT$3 million.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Taichung-based CUOC said it had set up a task force to investigate the cause of the contamination, and it apologized to the public for the incident.