Taipei firm fined NT$3 million over unverified Alishan camellia oil

Taipei, Aug. 7 (CNA) A Taipei company marketing premium camellia oil as sourced from Alishan was fined NT$3 million (US$93,046) for failing to provide documentation verifying the origin of its raw materials, the city's Department of Health said Friday.

Dynas International Corp., registered in Taipei, accepted orders from Yuen Foong Yu Biotech Co. and subcontracted Yuan Chuen Oil Mill in Chiayi County to produce camellia oil marketed as being made from locally sourced Alishan tea seeds. Alishan is renowned for tea cultivation.

Amid food safety concerns over excessive levels of the carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in cooking oil, Yuen Foong Yu tested its camellia oil products and found several contaminated batches produced by Yuan Chuen, including Dynas' Gaoyangsan brand.

During its investigation, the Taipei Department of Health said Dynas submitted photos and videos showing tea seed harvesting that it said were provided by its supplier after officials demanded documentation verifying the origin of its raw materials.

The department said the photos and videos did not prove the harvested tea seeds had actually been used in the products and fined Dynas NT$3 million under Article 47 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation for failing to ensure product quality.

Meanwhile, Taipei prosecutors have launched an investigation into the case after reportedly suspecting that Dynas sourced tea seeds from China and mixed them with locally produced seeds during manufacturing by Yuan Chuen.