Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
By Tsao Ming-cheng / Kaohsiung Report | China Times Electronic News – October 3, 2015
Kaohsiung Da Liang Agricultural Products Co., which supplies noodles to over 300 snack stalls in Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung, was found to have produced plain noodles and rice noodles containing banned benzoic acid and excessive sulfur dioxide (a bleaching agent). The plain noodles were sourced from Tainan’s Tsai Bo and Yi Cai Food Stores. However, Liu Yi-peng, the head of Da Liang Agricultural Products, claimed it was a "family recipe." Liu’s cousin, Liu Hsin-te, the owner of Tsai Bo and Yi Cai Food Stores, even stated, "This is how noodles are made all over Taiwan." Yet, employees countered, saying, "I wouldn’t dare take these noodles home for my kids to eat."
**Employees Won’t Feed It to Their Kids**
What’s alarming is that, according to downstream vendors, they have been sourcing from Da Liang Agricultural Products for over 20 years, while Tsai Bo and Yi Cai Food Stores have been selling for more than a decade. Da Liang’s monthly revenue reaches as high as NT$9 million, while Tsai Bo and Yi Cai together bring in NT$700,000 to NT$800,000. If the plain noodles and rice noodles have been made this way from the start, residents in southern Taiwan have been poisoned by these tainted noodles for over 10 to 20 years.
Investigations revealed that the actual person in charge of Da Liang Agricultural Products is Liu Yi-peng (29). Her father once served as general manager, and her aunt is the registered legal representative. Liu Hsin-te (36), the owner of Tsai Bo Food Store, is her cousin. After learning noodle-making at Da Liang Agricultural Products, Liu Hsin-te and his wife went on to operate Tsai Bo and Yi Cai Food Stores.
In August this year, the Kaohsiung City Health Bureau sampled Da Liang’s wet rice noodles and found sulfur dioxide levels at 0.048g/kg, exceeding the standard limit of 0.01g/kg. Additionally, the plain noodles contained 2.650g/kg of benzoic acid, which should not be present at all.
The Health Bureau stated that while benzoic acid is used as a preservative, it is prohibited in noodles.
**Business Owners Argue It’s a Family Recipe**
On the 1st, during a search of Da Liang Agricultural Products, authorities found no sulfur dioxide but discovered that the plain noodles were sourced from Tainan’s Tsai Bo and Yi Cai Food Stores. With the stores’ consent, half a bucket (about 2 kg) of benzoic acid was seized. Liu Yi-peng defended the wet rice noodle formula as a "family recipe," while Liu Hsin-te admitted to adding benzoic acid, insisting that "this is how noodles are made everywhere in Taiwan."
The Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office yesterday pointed out that the tainted plain noodles and rice noodles had already been distributed to over 300 noodle wholesalers, shops, restaurants, and noodle stalls in Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung. Additionally, according to the company’s shipment records, correctional facilities in these areas also received supplies. However, it remains unclear whether inmates and detainees consumed the tainted products.
Investigators on-site also observed workers adding an unidentified white powder during noodle production. No one knew what it was, and samples have been taken for testing.
**Factory Hygiene Is Extremely Poor**
A worker frying tofu nearby admitted that despite working at Da Liang Agricultural Products, the factory’s overall hygiene was so poor that he wouldn’t dare take the noodles home for his own children to eat.
Prosecutors noted that this was Da Liang Agricultural Products’ third violation, with penalties imposed each time, making them a repeat offender. Benzoic acid, commonly used as a preservative, is permitted in meat products, seafood, and ketchup but banned in noodles. Since the defendants knowingly violated regulations and concealed the truth from downstream buyers, they are being investigated for fraud. After questioning, Liu Yi-peng and Liu Hsin-te were released on bail of NT$200,000 and NT$100,000, respectively.
Source: https:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E……B320% E5% B9% B4- 215008681. html
Toxic Noodles Poisoning for 20 Years
Kaohsiung Da Liang Agricultural Products Co., which supplies noodles to over 300 snack stalls in Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung, was found to have produced plain noodles and rice noodles containing banned benzoic acid and excessive sulfur dioxide (a bleaching agent). The plain noodles were sourced from Tainan’s Tsai Bo and Yi Cai Food Stores. However, Liu Yi-peng, the head of Da Liang Agricultural Products, claimed it was a "family recipe." Liu’s cousin, Liu Hsin-te, the owner of Tsai Bo and Yi Cai Food Stores, even stated, "This is how noodles are made all over Taiwan." Yet, employees countered, saying, "I wouldn’t dare take these noodles home for my kids to eat."
**Employees Won’t Feed It to Their Kids**
What’s alarming is that, according to downstream vendors, they have been sourcing from Da Liang Agricultural Products for over 20 years, while Tsai Bo and Yi Cai Food Stores have been selling for more than a decade. Da Liang’s monthly revenue reaches as high as NT$9 million, while Tsai Bo and Yi Cai together bring in NT$700,000 to NT$800,000. If the plain noodles and rice noodles have been made this way from the start, residents in southern Taiwan have been poisoned by these tainted noodles for over 10 to 20 years.
Investigations revealed that the actual person in charge of Da Liang Agricultural Products is Liu Yi-peng (29). Her father once served as general manager, and her aunt is the registered legal representative. Liu Hsin-te (36), the owner of Tsai Bo Food Store, is her cousin. After learning noodle-making at Da Liang Agricultural Products, Liu Hsin-te and his wife went on to operate Tsai Bo and Yi Cai Food Stores.
In August this year, the Kaohsiung City Health Bureau sampled Da Liang’s wet rice noodles and found sulfur dioxide levels at 0.048g/kg, exceeding the standard limit of 0.01g/kg. Additionally, the plain noodles contained 2.650g/kg of benzoic acid, which should not be present at all.
The Health Bureau stated that while benzoic acid is used as a preservative, it is prohibited in noodles.
**Business Owners Argue It’s a Family Recipe**
On the 1st, during a search of Da Liang Agricultural Products, authorities found no sulfur dioxide but discovered that the plain noodles were sourced from Tainan’s Tsai Bo and Yi Cai Food Stores. With the stores’ consent, half a bucket (about 2 kg) of benzoic acid was seized. Liu Yi-peng defended the wet rice noodle formula as a "family recipe," while Liu Hsin-te admitted to adding benzoic acid, insisting that "this is how noodles are made everywhere in Taiwan."
The Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office yesterday pointed out that the tainted plain noodles and rice noodles had already been distributed to over 300 noodle wholesalers, shops, restaurants, and noodle stalls in Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung. Additionally, according to the company’s shipment records, correctional facilities in these areas also received supplies. However, it remains unclear whether inmates and detainees consumed the tainted products.
Investigators on-site also observed workers adding an unidentified white powder during noodle production. No one knew what it was, and samples have been taken for testing.
**Factory Hygiene Is Extremely Poor**
A worker frying tofu nearby admitted that despite working at Da Liang Agricultural Products, the factory’s overall hygiene was so poor that he wouldn’t dare take the noodles home for his own children to eat.
Prosecutors noted that this was Da Liang Agricultural Products’ third violation, with penalties imposed each time, making them a repeat offender. Benzoic acid, commonly used as a preservative, is permitted in meat products, seafood, and ketchup but banned in noodles. Since the defendants knowingly violated regulations and concealed the truth from downstream buyers, they are being investigated for fraud. After questioning, Liu Yi-peng and Liu Hsin-te were released on bail of NT$200,000 and NT$100,000, respectively.
Source: https:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E……B320% E5% B9% B4- 215008681. html