Acting Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-jih (陳駿季) yesterday said long-term observation of plant and soil ecology suggests that a subspecies of Burkholderia gladioli bacteria, which causes bongkrek acid poisoning, does not exist in Taiwan.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare on Friday evening announced that forensics testing of two deaths and blood testing of six hospitalized people, who had eaten at a Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei before experiencing severe food poisoning, were found to have bongkrek acid in their blood.
Bongkrek acid is a deadly toxin produced in food, especially fermented coconut or corn, that is contaminated by one of the subspecies of Burkholderia gladioli, called Burkholderia gladioli pathovar cocovenenans (BGC), and has also been found in spoiled or fermented flour and rice-related items, as well as spoiled white or black fungus.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
As nearly all of the 28 people who fell ill after eating at the Taipei restaurant chain between March 19 and Sunday last week had eaten stir-fried flat rice noodles, many people are concerned that there might be a risk of bongkrek acid poisoning from eating locally produced rice.
Chen yesterday said that he had asked specialists at the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute to check if the bacteria have been found in soil in Taiwan, and they told him that Burkholderia gladioli bacteria have four subspecies, and only the BGC subspecies produces bongkrek acid.
They also told him long-term observation of plant and soil ecology in Taiwan suggests that while the other three subspecies have been detected, the BGC subspecies does not exist in Taiwan, he said.
Chen said the domestic agricultural ecological chain has not been contaminated, so people should feel safe consuming locally produced agricultural products.
Regarding some local governments ordering that flat rice noodles be temporarily removed from school lunch menus, and the question of whether this would affect rice prices, Chen said the ministry would monitor the situation, adding that he respects the local governments’ decisions as some flat rice noodle products include imported corn starch.
Separately, the ministry’s Agriculture and Food Agency on Friday said people should not be overconcerned about eating rice. The Chinese term for “bongkrek acid” (米酵菌酸) — literally meaning “fermented rice bacterial acid” — could easily cause a misunderstanding.
About 1.4 million tonnes of rice is produced in Taiwan each year, which is mostly milled into white rice or brown rice, then packaged for sale, but fermentation is not part of the manufacturing process, the agency said, adding that most of the rice is sold within six months of harvesting, so there is no risk of contamination.
It advised people to choose traceable packaged rice that has the Certified Agricultural Standard label, and also buy flat rice noodles or other rice products that have higher rice content, mixed with fewer other ingredients to reduce the risk of contamination.
‘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
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
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as