Oil firm ordered to suspend production - Taipei Times

• By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday ordered the preventive removal of three batches of oil products produced by Central Union Oil Corp (CUOC).

The agency said it received CUOC's first report on June 30, stating that a batch of soy cooking oil produced on April 4 — batch No. 315-1150404 — had been found to contain benzopyrene levels exceeding the maximum allowable limit of 2 parts per billion (mcg/kg) for human food-grade oils and fats.

Benzopyrene has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, meaning that there is scientific evidence that it causes cancer.

Photo: Taipei Times

The FDA received a report on Tuesday last week from Taisun Enterprise Co, which said that one of its blended oil products used CUOC's soy cooking oil produced on May 12 — batch No. 315-1150512 — and was found to contain benzopyrene at a level of 2.5 mcg/kg, it said.

The FDA received another report on Thursday evening from Namchow Oil & Fat, which said one of its products had used CUOC's soy cooking oil produced on May 10 — batch No. 315-1150510 — which was also found to contain excessive benzopyrene levels of 2.9 mcg/kg.

FDA Director-General Chiang Chih-kang (姜至剛) said all three batches of CUOC's oil products were found to contain excessive levels of benzopyrene, indicating that the issue was not an isolated incident. There were likely major deficiencies in the company's raw material inspections, production processes and quality control mechanisms, he added.

"To ensure consumer safety, CUOC has been ordered to suspend production until the cause is identified and improvement measures are confirmed to be effective," he said.

The FDA held a meeting on Friday with CUOC and its downstream companies, including Fwusow Industry Co, Formosa Oilseed Processing Co and Taisun Enterprise Co, requiring them to accelerate the tracking and recall of affected oil products.

All products linked to CUOC's tainted cooking oil manufactured from April through last month were also required to be removed from store shelves as a precaution by Friday noon, the agency added.

Asked whether the investigation would be extended to CUOC's cooking oil products manufactured before April, Chiang said cooking oil is generally consumed quickly, meaning products made before April have likely already reached consumers. The agency's current focus is therefore on products manufactured between April and last month, which pose the highest risk, he said.

Regarding when the affected products could return to store shelves, Chiang said the FDA is developing relisting criteria based on product safety considerations and would consult internal and external experts to establish clear standards.

Meanwhile, the Executive Yuan on Friday evening announced a refund policy for CUOC's cooking oil products manufactured between April and last month.

Consumers can return the affected products by contacting the three suppliers directly: Taisun Enterprise Co (toll-free number 0800-079-080), Fwusow Industry Co (0800-236-699) and Formosa Oilseed Processing Co (0800-888-255), it said.

Consumers should present an invoice, receipt or other valid proof of purchase, including credit card statements or transaction records. Those without proof of purchase can also return the product or even the empty bottle to supermarkets, convenience stores or other retailers for a refund, the Cabinet said.

Mega PX Mart, PX Mart, Simple Mart and Surewell require consumers to return the products to the original stores where they were purchased, it said.

Prosperity Plaza, A.Mart, Uni-President, OKmart and Save & Safe are allowing consumers to return the products at any branch nationwide. Consumers who only have empty bottles should contact the three oil suppliers directly for returns, it added.

The Executive Yuan said consumers can call the nationwide customer service hotline at "1950" to file complaints if disputes arise during the return process. They can also submit online complaints to their local government's consumer service center or the Executive Yuan's Consumer Protection Committee.

Additional reporting by Chung Li-hua