Taiwan Salt Co (台鹽) yesterday ensured consumers that its collagen-rich cosmetics are safe from possible mad cow disease, which has been reported in the US, saying the company will not withdraw its products from the shelves.
As the first case of cattle infected with mad cow disease was reported in the US earlier this week, the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday announced the suspension of imports of cosmetics, medical instruments, biological products and medicine that contain cow or sheep tissue from the US. The department further said that if the US was confirmed to be an area affected by mad cow disease, these products would be required to be removed from the shelves and destroyed within two months.
"The collagen we import from the US to produce our skincare products is extracted from cow skin, which is safe from the disease according to a code of the World Organization for Animal Health," Taisalt Chairman Cheng Po-ching (
"The DOH's rule will not affect us," he said.
Cheng said that the collagen Taisalt imports was originally intended for medical use and has passed examination by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Taisalt's collagen-rich line of skincare products have been selling like hot cakes among other competitors in the local market and has become the company's cash cow. Sales of Taisalt products have grown tenfold from NT$40 million in June to NT$400 million at the end of last month.
Meanwhile, Taisalt has been given three months to elect independent directors or its shares will be suspended, the Commercial Times reported, citing unidentified stock exchange officials.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off Taitung County at 1:09pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 53km northeast of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 12.5km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Taitung County and Hualien County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Kaohsiung and Tainan, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake.
Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢), a Taiwanese businessman and deputy convener of the nation’s National Climate Change Committee, said yesterday that “electrical power is national power” and nuclear energy is “very important to Taiwan.” Tung made the remarks, suggesting that his views do not align with the country’s current official policy of phasing out nuclear energy, at a forum organized by the Taiwan People’s Party titled “Challenges and Prospects of Taiwan’s AI Industry and Energy Policy.” “Taiwan is currently pursuing industries with high added- value and is developing vigorously, and this all requires electricity,” said the chairman
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) is to begin his one-year alternative military service tomorrow amid ongoing legal issues, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. Wang, who last month was released on bail of NT$150,000 (US$4,561) as he faces charges of allegedly attempting to evade military service and forging documents, has been ordered to report to Taipei Railway Station at 9am tomorrow, the Alternative Military Service Training and Management Center said. The 33-year-old would join about 1,300 other conscripts in the 263rd cohort of general alternative service for training at the Chenggong Ling camp in Taichung, a center official told reporters. Wang would first