A supplier of frozen foods in Kaohsiung has been fined NT$8.4 million (US$257,977) for selling expired meat, with one of the items found to have expired 14 years ago, the city’s Department of Health said in a statement yesterday.
The department said that 11.4 tonnes of expired meat — including beef, chicken, duck, pork and goose — were found and seized during an inspection by the Ciaotou District Prosecutors’ Office on Tuesday.
It said that 670kg of goose meat had expired the longest, including some dated May 8, 2010.
Photo courtesy of the Kaohsiung Department of Health
The company also mixed expired with fresh meat, then sold the mixed meat after relabeling, the department said.
It was fined NT$8.4 million for contravening the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法), the statement said.
The department received a report about the supplier selling expired meat from a member of the public early last month, and turned the case over to prosecutors after a preliminary investigation, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) told reporters earlier yesterday.
The department said that it has recalled all meat supplied by the company from four hotels and restaurants in Kaohsiung, including InterContinental Kaohsiung and Hotel Dua.
Prosecutors are investigating details, such as the dispatch dates, items and quantities.
They have also questioned the company head, a man surnamed Hsieh (謝), and his wife, surnamed Lin (林), whom they suspect of having committed the offenses of fraud and false labeling.
Hsieh and Lin were released on bail of NT$400,000 and NT$200,000 respectively after it was determined that placing them in detention was not necessary
Prosecutors continue to investigate the case, but as of press time last night, the company had not been ordered to suspend operations.
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