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.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
A fourth person has died in a food poisoning outbreak linked to the Xinyi (信義) branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in Taipei, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Monday. It was the second fatality in three days, after another was announced on Saturday. The 40-year-old woman experienced multiple organ failure in the early hours on Monday, and the family decided not to undergo emergency resuscitation, Wang said. She initially showed signs of improvement after seeking medical treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but her condition worsened due to an infection, he said. Two others who
MEDICAL: The bills would also upgrade the status of the Ethical Guidelines Governing the Research of Human Embryos and Embryonic Stem Cell Research to law The Executive Yuan yesterday approved two bills to govern regenerative medicine that aim to boost development of the field. Taiwan would reach an important milestone in regenerative medicine development with passage of the regenerative medicine act and the regenerative medicine preparations ordinance, which would allow studies to proceed and treatments to be developed, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) told reporters at a news conference after a Cabinet meeting. Regenerative treatments have been used for several conditions, including cancer — by regenerating blood cells — and restoring joint function in soft tissue, Wang said. The draft legislation requires regenerative treatments
Taiwanese should be mindful when visiting China, as Beijing in July is likely to tighten the implementation of policies on national security following the introduction of two regulations, a researcher said on Saturday. China on Friday unveiled the regulations governing the law enforcement and judicial activities of national security agencies. They would help crack down on “illegal” and “criminal” activities that Beijing considers to be endangering national security, according to reports by China’s state media. The definition of what constitutes a national security threat in China is vague, Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said. The two procedural regulations are to provide Chinese