A study released by the Environmental Quality Protection Foundation yesterday suggested that Squalene 99, a brand of shark liver oil imported from Canada, had been found to contain excess levels of dioxin, a toxic chemical.
Fish liver oil has become a popular nutritional supplement for children as well as adults in recent years, as it contains several different types of poly-unsaturated fatty acids -- a substance that can help reduce cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease.
Starting in June, the foundation together with the National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) began tests on nine different brands of fish liver oil and evaluating the quantity of dioxin contained in them.
While the other eight sampled brands contained dioxin levels that fell within a range from 0.109 picograms (pg) to 1.08pg, the Squalene 99 shark liver oil was found to have 2.54pg of dioxin, slightly higher than the acceptable value set by the Department of Health (2pg).
The foundation's chairman, Liou Ming-lone (
Liou said the study's results had been sent to the department and that it would carry out follow-up studies.
Hsiao Tung-ming (
After conducting further tests the department would then decide if the product should be banned, he said.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS