TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said Wednesday that Taiwan may revise its food recall rules as authorities investigate potentially unsafe oil products linked to Central Union.
CNA reported that experts reviewed the recall standards at a Food and Drug Administration meeting on July 4. The rules were introduced after earlier oil-related safety cases and divided food safety incidents into 10 categories.
Shih said food safety cases have become more varied. The government may revise the rules if experts find that changes are needed.
Authorities are investigating how the problem involving Central Union Oil occurred. Shih said it most likely arose during production, but experts must confirm the cause before the government releases its final report.
Investigators are examining whether temperature changes during acid removal, bleaching, or deodorizing increased the level of a potentially harmful substance. They are also studying whether the soybeans or other raw materials used in production contributed to the problem, Rti reported.
UDN said that officials initially planned to compare safe and unsafe batches for differences in raw materials and production methods. However, tests found that some samples retained from the original batches were no longer reliable enough for comparison.
Authorities therefore expanded testing to finished products and oil delivered to downstream manufacturers. Shih said investigators must compare all results before determining the source of the problem.
The government ordered products to be removed from store shelves as a preventive measure while the investigation continues. Shih said this was different from a full mandatory recall because products from batches that pass safety tests can return to the market, per CTS News.
