Following reports that food safety authorities in Hong Kong found plasticizer chemicals in Taiwan-made Weilih instant noodles, the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said it had opened an investigation into the matter.
Since news broke that certain foods and beverages manufactured in Taiwan had tested positive for plasticizer chemicals such as di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, or DEHP, and diisononyl phthalate, or DINP, tonnes of contaminated food products have been taken off shelves and destroyed.
Plasticizers such as DEHP and DINP are potentially harmful to human health and were discovered late last month to have been added to clouding agents used in many food products. Lab tests have confirmed that DEHP and DINP have been used as a substitute for more expensive ingredients such as palm oil in food additives used in a wide variety of food products, from sports drinks to fruit jams.
On Monday, authorities in Hong Kong announced that the sesame oil packets found in Weilih’s hand-made instant noodles (維力手打麵) contained DEHP, while Chuang’s Square Cookies (莊家方塊酥) contained DEHP and DINP.
The news quickly came into the spotlight since both products, manufactured in Taiwan, are well-known, signature foods.
Food and Drug Administration Director-General Kang Jaw-jou (康照洲) yesterday said that health officials were in the process of investigating the possible contamination.
Health authorities have also ordered that Chuang’s Square Cookies’ brown sugar flavor, which are suspected to be contaminated, be taken off the shelves. Weilih noodles, on the other hand, have not been taken off shelves because the noodles being sold in Taiwan do not contain the sesame oil packet suspected of being the source of the contamination.
Meanwhile, the Consumers’ Foundation urged the government to conduct a comprehensive probe into all instant noodles that come with oil packets.
The foundation said that the small plastic bag that contains the oil could cause plasticizer chemicals to leach into foods.
If the DOH does not have the resources and manpower to send samples of all instant noodle oil packets for laboratory testing, then authorities should require that manufacturers send samples of their products for testing, then publicize the results to ensure food safety, the foundation said.
The more promptly these tests are done, the more quickly authorities would be able to track down the source of the contamination and possibly discover if more companies are involved in adding illegal ingredients to foodstuffs, the foundation said.
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
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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
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