A total of 167 food ingredient suppliers face recalls due to the snowballing toxic contamination scandal, the Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday (May 26).
So far, the cancer-causing plasticizer DEHP had been detected in an emulsifying additive called cloudy agent which has been detected in the products of 47 local manufacturers of food and drinks that unknowingly used the tainted ingredient, all of which have to be recalled, according to Hsu Ming-neng, deputy director-general of the DOH's Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Hsu urged other manufacturers to send their products for tests to prove that they are free of the harmful chemical.
Taiwan is gripped in a food scare after the DOH confirmed on Monday that DEHP had been found in cloudy agent, which is commonly used in fruit jelly, yogurt mix powder, juices and other drinks to keep emulsions well dispersed.
Investigations revealed that the tainted cloudy agent products were either produced by the Yu Sheng Chemical Co, or intermediaries supplied by the company.
Some of the tainted ingredients and products were believed to have been exported overseas.
Hsu said the FDA should be able to track most of the contaminated items within the next couple of days, when the DOH will again write to the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) under the World Health Organization.
Hsu said he had already informed INFOSAN officials of the incident while attending the World Health Assembly in Geneva earlier this week. The DOH later also wrote to INFOSAN via e-mail to provide further information, but the group has not yet responded, he said.
Meanwhile, Taiwan Sugar Co announced Thursday that it is recalling its "Turmeric Oyster Shell" supplement tablets due to DEHP contamination.
The company also said it was sending four other products for tests to determine if they are tainted.
Another victim, HeySong Corp, said it has asked all its distributors to recall its "FruitHouse" probiotic powder and three other brands of dietary supplements that might have been contaminated.
Consumers who have bought the products will get refunds unconditionally, the company said.
Meanwhile, food ingredient exporter Possmei Corp. said it has notified its clients in more than 20 countries to stop selling its concentrated juice products to await test results.
According to Possmei President Yang Hsi-shun, the company will further inform its clients if the products are safe as soon as the results are available.
Passion fruit juice, mango juice and lychee juice produced by Possmei were on the DEHP contamination-related recall list announced by the New Taipei City Health Bureau on Wednesday.
The company also supplies bubble milk tea ingredients. Among its most well-known overseas clients is the recently opened Bubbleology tea house in London, which reports its products are free of any contamination.
Giant Union Co., a supplier of oriental foods and commodities in Los Angeles, said Wednesday that it has stopped importing "popping boba," a translucent gummy ball from Possmei that contains flavored juices and can be added to drinks.
References:
Hsu Ming-neng 許銘能
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