Authorities in Kaohsiung ordered that several product lines of two food companies be removed from store shelves after investigators found that expiration dates on labels had been altered, although some items might have already been sold to consumers.
The proprietor of Nien Fong Foods Co (年豐食品行), surnamed Chuang (莊), was released on bail of NT$50,000 after being detained for questioning by the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors’ Office on Thursday.
Nien Fong Foods imports packaged snack foods and cooking ingredients from Japan. Allegations surfaced last year that goods from the company bore fraudulent labeling.
Photo: CNA
The Kaohsiung Department of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and the police examined company products at traditional markets and grocery stores earlier this week, gathering evidence, prosecutor Shih Yu-ting (施昱廷) said.
The investigation found about 40kg of imported Japanese takoyaki snacks, wheat flour, powder for frying dough, and cheese biscuits imported by the company had labels with fraudulent dates, Shih said.
The company allegedly profited illegally by removing expiration labels from unsold items, affixing new dates and redistributing them to stores.
Prosecutors said they intend to file charges against Chuang for fraud, forgery and contravention of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法).
A well-established company, Nien Fong Foods has been an importer for 40 years, prosecutors said, adding that because it has a broad distribution network of local Kaohsiung markets and grocery stores, many consumers were surprised that the company might engage in profiteering by selling items past their expiration dates.
Prosecutors questioned Chuang, as well as three witnesses, Shih said.
Chuang admitted to tampering with the dates, Shih said, adding that the witnesses were released.
In an earlier case, heath department officials said they found fraudulent labels on yoghurt, juice and flavoring ingredients for candies at retail stores.
Through distributors, investigators traced the candy items to the producer, Taichung-based E.Noon Biotech Food Co (宜農生物科技), a leading sweets and confectionery manufacturer in Taiwan, they said.
E.Noon was contracted by Kaohsiung-based Wedar Biotech Co (崴達國際) in February last year to make yoghurt, milk, orange candy and other fruit-flavored chewy candy, but an investigation showed that the expiration dates of some of the ingredients had already passed, department head Chen Chien-jung (陳建榮) said.
The company allegedly produced fraudulent documentation about the dates to deceive inspectors, then used the questionable ingredients to make various candy products to meet demand during the winter holidays, he said.
Stores have been ordered to remove the candy from their shelves, he said, adding that about 6 tonnes of fraudulently labeled candy was estimated to have been on the market.
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