The Taipei Prosecutors’ Office yesterday searched a Top Pot Bakery shop in Taipei and questioned staff as part of the probe into the Taipei City Government’s claim that the bakery uses artificial flavorings in its baked goods.
Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) on Saturday described the Top Pot Bakery chain’s use of artificial flavoring in its baked goods as “fraud,” and said his administration would report the case to prosecutors for investigation.
Taipei prosecutors on Saturday evening searched Top Pot Bakery’s head office, seized accounting books and other documents, and summoned chairman Hsu Hsun-ping (徐洵平), general manager Hsu Chih-hung (徐志鴻) and two financial officers for questioning.
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times
The interviews lasted through the night and prosecutors announced the four were released without bail yesterday morning.
Prosecutors yesterday morning directed Taipei police officers to search a Top Pot Bakery shop on Dunhua S Rd, seizing material. Shop staff and several bread makers were summoned for questioning by prosecutors. They were allowed to leave with bail later in the day.
The bakery, which advertised that all of its breads were made with natural ingredients, admitted last week that it used edible flavoring essences in its products.
Taipei City’s Department of Health fined the company NT$180,000 on Friday for violating Articles 28 and 45 of the Food Sanitation Act (食品衛生管理法) by running deceptive and misleading advertisements.
Hau, who is also a food science expert, yesterday condemned the bakery chain for deceiving customers who purchased expensive breads believing them to be made with only fresh and natural ingredients.
Since opening its first store last year, the bakery has built its name on appealing to those wishing to eat only natural ingredients.
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