Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
Chen Zhixian / Taipei Report | China Times Electronic News – June 8, 2013
Food safety issues continue to erupt. A century-old renowned shop in New Taipei City, You Xiefeng Baked Tofu Shop, has been illegally adding industrial dye "Metanil Yellow"—used for coloring paint—to their tofu products for seven years to cut costs and enhance the appearance of the tofu. The products were sold both in their own store and in traditional markets.
Investigators found that the Metanil Yellow used in You Xiefeng’s tofu production was supplied by Yiliang Food Store in Taipei. Over the past seven years, Yiliang sold at least 200 kilograms of Metanil Yellow to You Xiefeng. Yiliang also provided preservatives (potassium sorbate) to noodle manufacturer Haoyi Trading for making plain noodles, violating the Food Sanitation Management Act.
Metanil Yellow (also known as "Yellow Pigment No. 36") is an industrial dye primarily used for coloring paper, soap, paint, and leather. It is prohibited in food products. Long-term ingestion may cause liver cell damage and increase the risk of lung cancer. Research indicates that consuming just 0.25 grams of Metanil Yellow can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Yesterday, Taipei District Prosecutors Gao Yishu and Shi Xuanxu directed the Taipei Investigation Office, along with health officials from Taipei and New Taipei City, to raid Yiliang, You Xiefeng, and Haoyi. They questioned Yiliang’s owner Chen Mingzhu, You Xiefeng’s owner You Xinfu, and two witnesses surnamed Ye and Gao. After interrogation, Chen and You were released on bail of NT$100,000 and NT$50,000, respectively.
Investigators seized account books from Yiliang and other businesses, discovering that Yiliang kept handwritten records with incomplete sales and purchase data. Authorities suspect other businesses may have purchased from Yiliang and are investigating further, suggesting the case may expand.
Investigators also found that You Xiefeng purchased Metanil Yellow from Yiliang at NT$300 per kilogram, while legal edible dyes No. 4 and No. 5 from Zhenfang cost NT$600–700 per kilogram—a price difference of over 50%. You Xiefeng claimed ignorance of the illegal use of Metanil Yellow, but investigators found it unreasonable that they only purchased four barrels over seven years and are probing further.
Additionally, in July last year, Taipei City tested Haoyi’s homemade plain noodles and detected preservatives (potassium sorbate), which were also traced back to Yiliang. Haoyi’s owner, surnamed Ye, stated that when ordering materials, he only requested ingredients to make the noodles chewy. Yiliang labeled the delivered materials as "for food use," and he claimed no knowledge they were preservatives.Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E5……5% 90% E5% 8A% 91- 213001590. html;_ylt=ApsJfz9SXxQhSsqW94pqMQvCBdF_;_ylu=X3oDMTRkOHJjZGtjBGNjb2RlA2N0LmMEbWl0A01vc3QgcG9wdWxhciAxNnUgc29jaWV0eQRwa2cDMDFiNzQ0NDEtN2ZhOC0zM2EzLTgwNTYtNGIyYzAyNjQzMjcwBHBvcwMxBHNlYwN0b3Bfc3RvcnkEdmVyAzg2NjQ2M2QyLWNmZTYtMTFlMi1iYjRiLWFhYjE5YjAyYzBjYg--;_ylg=X3oDMTJ1NzI4bHA1BGludGwDdHcEbGFuZwN6aC1oYW50LXR3BHBzdGFpZANlYzIzM2NkNy02NjQyLTNmNWUtOWZhZC0wNDEyYWE0YWJhNmUEcHN0Y2F0A.ekvuacgwRwdANzdG9yeXBhZ2U-;_ylv=3
Tainted Food Exposed: Paint-Dyed Tofu and Preservative-Laden Noodles
Food safety issues continue to erupt. A century-old renowned shop in New Taipei City, You Xiefeng Baked Tofu Shop, has been illegally adding industrial dye "Metanil Yellow"—used for coloring paint—to their tofu products for seven years to cut costs and enhance the appearance of the tofu. The products were sold both in their own store and in traditional markets.
Investigators found that the Metanil Yellow used in You Xiefeng’s tofu production was supplied by Yiliang Food Store in Taipei. Over the past seven years, Yiliang sold at least 200 kilograms of Metanil Yellow to You Xiefeng. Yiliang also provided preservatives (potassium sorbate) to noodle manufacturer Haoyi Trading for making plain noodles, violating the Food Sanitation Management Act.
Metanil Yellow (also known as "Yellow Pigment No. 36") is an industrial dye primarily used for coloring paper, soap, paint, and leather. It is prohibited in food products. Long-term ingestion may cause liver cell damage and increase the risk of lung cancer. Research indicates that consuming just 0.25 grams of Metanil Yellow can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Yesterday, Taipei District Prosecutors Gao Yishu and Shi Xuanxu directed the Taipei Investigation Office, along with health officials from Taipei and New Taipei City, to raid Yiliang, You Xiefeng, and Haoyi. They questioned Yiliang’s owner Chen Mingzhu, You Xiefeng’s owner You Xinfu, and two witnesses surnamed Ye and Gao. After interrogation, Chen and You were released on bail of NT$100,000 and NT$50,000, respectively.
Investigators seized account books from Yiliang and other businesses, discovering that Yiliang kept handwritten records with incomplete sales and purchase data. Authorities suspect other businesses may have purchased from Yiliang and are investigating further, suggesting the case may expand.
Investigators also found that You Xiefeng purchased Metanil Yellow from Yiliang at NT$300 per kilogram, while legal edible dyes No. 4 and No. 5 from Zhenfang cost NT$600–700 per kilogram—a price difference of over 50%. You Xiefeng claimed ignorance of the illegal use of Metanil Yellow, but investigators found it unreasonable that they only purchased four barrels over seven years and are probing further.
Additionally, in July last year, Taipei City tested Haoyi’s homemade plain noodles and detected preservatives (potassium sorbate), which were also traced back to Yiliang. Haoyi’s owner, surnamed Ye, stated that when ordering materials, he only requested ingredients to make the noodles chewy. Yiliang labeled the delivered materials as "for food use," and he claimed no knowledge they were preservatives.Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E5……5% 90% E5% 8A% 91- 213001590. html;_ylt=ApsJfz9SXxQhSsqW94pqMQvCBdF_;_ylu=X3oDMTRkOHJjZGtjBGNjb2RlA2N0LmMEbWl0A01vc3QgcG9wdWxhciAxNnUgc29jaWV0eQRwa2cDMDFiNzQ0NDEtN2ZhOC0zM2EzLTgwNTYtNGIyYzAyNjQzMjcwBHBvcwMxBHNlYwN0b3Bfc3RvcnkEdmVyAzg2NjQ2M2QyLWNmZTYtMTFlMi1iYjRiLWFhYjE5YjAyYzBjYg--;_ylg=X3oDMTJ1NzI4bHA1BGludGwDdHcEbGFuZwN6aC1oYW50LXR3BHBzdGFpZANlYzIzM2NkNy02NjQyLTNmNWUtOWZhZC0wNDEyYWE0YWJhNmUEcHN0Y2F0A.ekvuacgwRwdANzdG9yeXBhZ2U-;_ylv=3