The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would this week fine a company for importing raw materials for cosmetics containing banned Sudan red dyes, and it would consider including Sudan red dyes in postmarket inspections, Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said yesterday.
Eho Co, the company that was found having imported ingredients for cosmetics containing the banned industrial red dye, would face a NT$5 million (US$159,489) fine, the FDA said on Tuesday.
Taiwan recently detected the banned dyes in cosmetics for the first time, tracing them to raw materials supplied by Singapore-based Campo Research Pte Ltd.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
So far, 20 products from 12 businesses have been found to contain the dyes and must be removed from the market.
The FDA previously announced 18 contaminated products, and on Tuesday announced two more, both masks from Maxgut Biochemical Co.
Under articles 6 and 22 of the Cosmetic Hygiene and Safety Act (化妝品衛生安全管理法), using banned Sudan IV dyes can result in fines ranging from NT$20,000 to NT$5 million and repeated penalties may be imposed, the FDA said.
FDA Deputy Director-General Wang Der-yuan (王德原) said he cannot guarantee there are no other contaminated products, as the factory produces a wide range of items, and health departments can only inspect them one at a time.
To avoid similar incidents, the FDA is considering including Sudan red dyes in postmarket inspections, Shih said yesterday at the Legislative Yuan.
The FDA took the initiative to investigate after receiving a report from abroad, Shih said.
Preventing similar incidents would require support from the central government, as there is a lack of testing technology, the minister said.
Testing of raw materials for cosmetics requires careful consideration, as cosmetic regulations are largely similar across the globe, he said.
Cosmetics use a wide variety of chemicals, not all of which are used exclusively for cosmetics, so most countries focus on process management rather than testing every chemical, he added.
Like most countries, Taiwan has regulations regarding permitted and prohibited raw materials, manufacturing practice standards and helps businesses strengthen process control, Shih said.
The government is considering how to strengthen postmarket monitoring, and Sudan dyes would be included in routine inspections for the foreseeable future, he said.
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