Deputy Health Minister Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀) on Tuesday raised concerns about the safety of fermented bean curd products illegally imported from China into Taiwan.
Lin’s warning followed reports from local media, including the Liberty Times, which revealed that a type of Chinese food called “moldy bean curd” (霉豆腐), popular among TikTok users, recently went viral in several Taiwanese fan groups on Facebook
The food product, however, which is mostly homemade or smuggled from China into Taiwan for sale, is believed to pose a safety risk due to the lack of official verification of its sources and safety testing, according to the reports.
Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times
Speaking to reporters, Lin described the fermented Chinese bean curd being sold online in Taiwan as a “three noes” item, meaning that the products carry no maker’s name, authorization mark or approval label.
Lin said the products were clearly sold or brought into Taiwan illegally, given the lack of Ministry of Health and Welfare certification.
Lin urged people in Taiwan not to purchase “moldy bean curd” being promoted online, as the manufacturing process, including the selection and storage of soybeans and follow- up production management, is unknown.
Photo: Liberty Times
Such canned food products, if not properly sanitized, can contain potentially lethal amounts of clostridium botulinum, she said.
Lin also warned that individuals could “find it difficult to seek redress” if they fall sick after consuming the problematic food.
In addition, selling the product is against the law in Taiwan and violators could face criminal penalties, to which end the ministry and local governments are working together to increase inspection and seize such items, the official added.
Yen Tzung-hai (顏宗海), director of the Clinical Poison Center at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, said fermented bean curd contains a high amount of sodium and has a heavy taste.
Consuming too much of the product is harmful to human health if contaminated with microorganisms and can lead to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, Yen said.
STAY AWAY: An official said people should avoid disturbing snakes, as most do not actively attack humans, but would react defensively if threatened Taitung County authorities yesterday urged the public to stay vigilant and avoid disturbing snakes in the wild, following five reported snakebite cases in the county so far this year. Taitung County Fire Department secretary Lin Chien-cheng (林建誠) said two of the cases were in Donghe Township (東河) and involved the Taiwan habus, one person was bit by a Chinese pit viper near the South Link Railway and the remaining two were caused by unidentified snakes. He advised residents near fields to be cautious of snakes hiding in shady indoor areas, especially when entering or leaving their homes at night. In case of a
A tropical disturbance off the southeastern coast of the Philippines might become the first typhoon of the western Pacific typhoon season, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The system lacks a visible center and how it would develop is only likely to become clear on Sunday or Monday, the CWA said, adding that it was not yet possible to forecast the potential typhoon's effect on Taiwan. The American Meteorological Society defines a tropical disturbance as a system made up of showers and thunderstorms that lasts for at least 24 hours and does not have closed wind circulation.
ENERGY RESILIENCE: Although Alaska is open for investments, Taiwan is sourcing its gas from the Middle East, and the sea routes carry risks, Ho Cheng-hui said US government officials’ high-profile reception of a Taiwanese representative at the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference indicated the emergence of an Indo-Pacific energy resilience alliance, an academic said. Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an (潘孟安) attended the conference in Alaska on Thursday last week at the invitation of the US government. Pan visited oil and gas facilities with senior US officials, including US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy and US Senator Daniel Sullivan. Pan attending the conference on behalf of President William Lai (賴清德) shows a significant elevation in diplomatic representation,
Credit departments of farmers’ and fishers’ associations blocked a total of more than NT$180 million (US$6.01 million) from being lost to scams last year, National Police Agency (NPA) data showed. The Agricultural Finance Agency (AFA) said last week that staff of farmers’ and fishers’ associations’ credit departments are required to implement fraud prevention measures when they serve clients at the counter. They would ask clients about personal financial management activities whenever they suspect there might be a fraud situation, and would immediately report the incident to local authorities, which would send police officers to the site to help, it said. NPA data showed
RSS