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CNA March 31, 2015, Reporter Chen Qingfang, Taipei
Food manufacturers in Changhua were found using industrial-grade magnesium carbonate. Investigations traced the downstream impact, affecting not only seasoning powders like pepper and curry but also pharmaceutical companies. Health authorities are collaborating with prosecutors to track the distribution of these substandard seasonings and inferior medicines.
The Changhua District Prosecutors' Office and Changhua County Health Bureau discovered that industrial-grade magnesium carbonate costs about NT$60 per kilogram, while food-grade magnesium carbonate ranges from NT$120 to NT$180 per kilogram. Yixing Company in Taichung allegedly sold industrial-grade magnesium carbonate to three seasoning powder manufacturers to profit from the price difference, implicating over 200 downstream businesses.
Changhua prosecutors found that large quantities of industrial magnesium carbonate were also supplied to at least two pharmaceutical factories. The Changhua County Health Bureau has classified these as "inferior or counterfeit drugs" and seized batches of problematic medicines, which have been sent to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for testing. Administrative penalties or criminal charges will follow once the investigation is concluded.
Liu Fangming, acting director of the FDA's Southern Regional Management Center, stated that Yixing Company had been supplying three powder manufacturers since 2003, with confirmed use of industrial magnesium carbonate between 2012 and 2014. An estimated 80 tons of industrial magnesium carbonate have entered the market.
Liu noted that the seized pepper and salt products ranged from small household containers to large commercial packages.
Under the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act, involved businesses must immediately halt production, processing, and sales, recall problematic seasonings, and report to health authorities. Continued sales of such products could result in fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million.
Dai Xueyong, deputy director of the FDA's Drug Division, said it remains unclear how many medicines may contain industrial magnesium carbonate or which hospitals and clinics they were distributed to. If discovered, these would be classified as counterfeit drugs under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, requiring recalls. Violators could face fines of NT$60,000 to NT$300,000 and criminal prosecution.
Source: https:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E……7% A5% E5% BB% A0- 115446304. html
Drugs Also Compromised: Industrial Magnesium Carbonate Enters Pharma
Food manufacturers in Changhua were found using industrial-grade magnesium carbonate. Investigations traced the downstream impact, affecting not only seasoning powders like pepper and curry but also pharmaceutical companies. Health authorities are collaborating with prosecutors to track the distribution of these substandard seasonings and inferior medicines.
The Changhua District Prosecutors' Office and Changhua County Health Bureau discovered that industrial-grade magnesium carbonate costs about NT$60 per kilogram, while food-grade magnesium carbonate ranges from NT$120 to NT$180 per kilogram. Yixing Company in Taichung allegedly sold industrial-grade magnesium carbonate to three seasoning powder manufacturers to profit from the price difference, implicating over 200 downstream businesses.
Changhua prosecutors found that large quantities of industrial magnesium carbonate were also supplied to at least two pharmaceutical factories. The Changhua County Health Bureau has classified these as "inferior or counterfeit drugs" and seized batches of problematic medicines, which have been sent to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for testing. Administrative penalties or criminal charges will follow once the investigation is concluded.
Liu Fangming, acting director of the FDA's Southern Regional Management Center, stated that Yixing Company had been supplying three powder manufacturers since 2003, with confirmed use of industrial magnesium carbonate between 2012 and 2014. An estimated 80 tons of industrial magnesium carbonate have entered the market.
Liu noted that the seized pepper and salt products ranged from small household containers to large commercial packages.
Under the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act, involved businesses must immediately halt production, processing, and sales, recall problematic seasonings, and report to health authorities. Continued sales of such products could result in fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million.
Dai Xueyong, deputy director of the FDA's Drug Division, said it remains unclear how many medicines may contain industrial magnesium carbonate or which hospitals and clinics they were distributed to. If discovered, these would be classified as counterfeit drugs under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, requiring recalls. Violators could face fines of NT$60,000 to NT$300,000 and criminal prosecution.
Source: https:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E……7% A5% E5% BB% A0- 115446304. html