In a test of 61 soybean-based products in Taipei City, nearly 20 percent did not meet food safety standards, the Taipei Department of Health said yesterday.
Food and Drug Division head Chiang Yu-mei (姜郁美) said that of 61 samples taken from locations around the city in June, 12 were substandard.
Six of the samples contained excessive levels of the food preservative benzoic acid and another six contained hydrogen peroxide, which is banned from use in foods, she said.
Five of the subpar samples came from Huan-nan Market in Wanhua District (萬華). Many soy products sold at Taipei markets are processed at factories in Dasi Township (大溪), Taoyuan County.
Hydrogen peroxide, which is chiefly used to kill bacteria and as a bleaching agent, is harmful if ingested in large amounts. Some of the symptoms of ingesting the chemical include headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and ulcers, Chiang said.
Chiang urged the public to soak and rinse tofu products for at least 20 minutes before eating them to get rid of any hydrogen peroxide they might contain.
Chiang said that although up to 0.6g of benzoic acid per kilogram is allowed in soybean-based products, excessive exposure can cause kidney and liver damage.
Soaking and rinsing tofu is not helpful in removing benzoic acid because it does not dissolve in water, Chiang said. Instead, benzoic acid can be removed by cooking tofu in a covered pot and lifting the lid once the tofu is ready to allow residual benzoic acid to evaporate.
This is also effective for removing hydrogen peroxide, she said.
The department also suggested that consumers choose soy products produced and sold by reputable companies and retail outlets to avoid substandard products.
Anyone who suspects a product does not meet standards can report the matter at (02) 2720-8889.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
RSS