The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday rejected an online rumor that instant noodles contained harmful preservatives, saying that the products do not contain any preservatives.
During typhoon days when most stores are closed, many Taiwanese tend to eat instant noodles or canned foods that are easy to prepare and have a long shelf life, the agency said.
However, online posts claiming that preservatives in these foods could be harmful to health, or could cause “mummification” have caused concern among the public, it said.
However, the concerns are unfounded, as the packaging process of the products does not require the use of preservatives, the agency said.
Instant noodles are prepared by removing all water from the products by flash-frying or hot air drying, it added.
The lack of water significantly reduces the chances of microorganisms growing on the noodles, the agency said.
The method of removing water to preserve food is also used in many dried vegetable, fruit and meat products, it said.
A combination of processes, including sterilization and heating foods to high temperatures, is used in canning to kill micro-organisms, it added.
Candied or salted foods are prepared using osmosis to replace their water content with sugar or salt, which slows the reproduction of microorganisms, it said.
As the growth of microorganisms is affected by temperature, packaging plants can extend the shelf life of food products by heating them to high temperatures or freezing them, the agency said.
For example, fresh milk undergoes high-temperature treatment, or pasteurization, to kill microorganisms, it said.
However, consumers must still pay attention to packaging to ensure all food safety information is provided and that the product has not expired, the agency said.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off Taitung County at 1:09pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 53km northeast of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 12.5km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Taitung County and Hualien County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Kaohsiung and Tainan, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake.
Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢), a Taiwanese businessman and deputy convener of the nation’s National Climate Change Committee, said yesterday that “electrical power is national power” and nuclear energy is “very important to Taiwan.” Tung made the remarks, suggesting that his views do not align with the country’s current official policy of phasing out nuclear energy, at a forum organized by the Taiwan People’s Party titled “Challenges and Prospects of Taiwan’s AI Industry and Energy Policy.” “Taiwan is currently pursuing industries with high added- value and is developing vigorously, and this all requires electricity,” said the chairman
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) is to begin his one-year alternative military service tomorrow amid ongoing legal issues, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. Wang, who last month was released on bail of NT$150,000 (US$4,561) as he faces charges of allegedly attempting to evade military service and forging documents, has been ordered to report to Taipei Railway Station at 9am tomorrow, the Alternative Military Service Training and Management Center said. The 33-year-old would join about 1,300 other conscripts in the 263rd cohort of general alternative service for training at the Chenggong Ling camp in Taichung, a center official told reporters. Wang would first
RSS