Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
United Daily News / Reporters Qi Rongyu, Li Yichang, Chen Yuxin / New Taipei City Report 2014.11.08
The New Taipei City Health Bureau yesterday uncovered cases of unscrupulous bean curd and herbal tea production. "Lu Family Herbal Tea (Lu Jia Foods)," a 27-year-old establishment in New Taipei City, had been using industrial-grade gypsum to make bean curd over the past year and even repurposed empty containers originally used for kidney dialysis electrolyte solution to store herbal tea, which was then sold to vendors and ice shops in New Taipei City.
Lin Guanzhen, head of the Food and Drug Administration Division of the New Taipei City Health Bureau, stated that during an inspection of Lu Family Herbal Tea on the 4th of this month, it was discovered that the factory's registered location did not match its actual site. Shockingly, empty containers labeled for kidney dialysis medication were found being used to store herbal tea, and industrial-grade gypsum powder was being used to produce bean curd.
Lin Guanzhen explained that although the gypsum powder used by Lu Family Herbal Tea, produced by First Chemical, was labeled as "natural gypsum powder," the supplier confirmed it was industrial-grade gypsum, which is less pure than food-grade and may contain impurities or heavy metals. A price comparison online showed the industrial-grade gypsum costs NT$165 per kilogram, while food-grade gypsum costs NT$1,000 per kilogram—a sixfold difference.
Inspectors seized 2 kilograms of gypsum powder, 46.81 kilograms of finished bean curd, 191 empty containers, and 30 barrels (totaling 300 liters) of herbal tea. The company was fined NT$240,000 for violating the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act and referred to the New Taipei City Criminal Investigation Division for further investigation.
A factory worker disclosed that since late last year, they had indirectly purchased empty medication containers for NT$10 each from a receptionist at a hospital in New Taipei through the owner's nephew's friend. The containers were then washed with hot water, labels removed, and repurposed to sell herbal tea.
Chen Wenjun, head of the Industrial Waste Division of the Environmental Protection Bureau, stated that undercover agents had posed as customers to inquire about purchasing the containers from the hospital, but the staff became suspicious and ultimately denied selling them. Currently, there is no direct evidence linking the hospital to the sale.
Reporters attempted to contact Lu Jia Foods last night, but calls went unanswered. When they called the mobile phone of the owner, surnamed Lu, he responded with "Sorry!" and hung up upon realizing it was a reporter. The owner's elder brother said he had not been involved in the business since handing it over to his younger brother 27 years ago.
The Health Bureau noted that the empty containers originally held "hemodialysis concentrate," an electrolyte solution made from sodium bicarbonate. Medical staff typically pour this solution into dialysis machines, meaning it does not come into contact with patients' bodily fluids. However, such waste should be handled by licensed recyclers. How it ended up in a food factory is under investigation by the Environmental Protection Bureau.
Chen Wenjun added that after checking the hospital named by the Health Bureau, the hospital denied involvement. Further inspections revealed the hospital had not contracted licensed recyclers to handle the empty containers, resulting in a NT$6,000 fine.
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ NATIONAL/ NAT3/ 9052289. shtml
27-Year-Old Shop... Chemical Plaster in Tofu Pudding, Herbal Jelly in Dialysis Buckets
The New Taipei City Health Bureau yesterday uncovered cases of unscrupulous bean curd and herbal tea production. "Lu Family Herbal Tea (Lu Jia Foods)," a 27-year-old establishment in New Taipei City, had been using industrial-grade gypsum to make bean curd over the past year and even repurposed empty containers originally used for kidney dialysis electrolyte solution to store herbal tea, which was then sold to vendors and ice shops in New Taipei City.
Lin Guanzhen, head of the Food and Drug Administration Division of the New Taipei City Health Bureau, stated that during an inspection of Lu Family Herbal Tea on the 4th of this month, it was discovered that the factory's registered location did not match its actual site. Shockingly, empty containers labeled for kidney dialysis medication were found being used to store herbal tea, and industrial-grade gypsum powder was being used to produce bean curd.
Lin Guanzhen explained that although the gypsum powder used by Lu Family Herbal Tea, produced by First Chemical, was labeled as "natural gypsum powder," the supplier confirmed it was industrial-grade gypsum, which is less pure than food-grade and may contain impurities or heavy metals. A price comparison online showed the industrial-grade gypsum costs NT$165 per kilogram, while food-grade gypsum costs NT$1,000 per kilogram—a sixfold difference.
Inspectors seized 2 kilograms of gypsum powder, 46.81 kilograms of finished bean curd, 191 empty containers, and 30 barrels (totaling 300 liters) of herbal tea. The company was fined NT$240,000 for violating the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act and referred to the New Taipei City Criminal Investigation Division for further investigation.
A factory worker disclosed that since late last year, they had indirectly purchased empty medication containers for NT$10 each from a receptionist at a hospital in New Taipei through the owner's nephew's friend. The containers were then washed with hot water, labels removed, and repurposed to sell herbal tea.
Chen Wenjun, head of the Industrial Waste Division of the Environmental Protection Bureau, stated that undercover agents had posed as customers to inquire about purchasing the containers from the hospital, but the staff became suspicious and ultimately denied selling them. Currently, there is no direct evidence linking the hospital to the sale.
Reporters attempted to contact Lu Jia Foods last night, but calls went unanswered. When they called the mobile phone of the owner, surnamed Lu, he responded with "Sorry!" and hung up upon realizing it was a reporter. The owner's elder brother said he had not been involved in the business since handing it over to his younger brother 27 years ago.
The Health Bureau noted that the empty containers originally held "hemodialysis concentrate," an electrolyte solution made from sodium bicarbonate. Medical staff typically pour this solution into dialysis machines, meaning it does not come into contact with patients' bodily fluids. However, such waste should be handled by licensed recyclers. How it ended up in a food factory is under investigation by the Environmental Protection Bureau.
Chen Wenjun added that after checking the hospital named by the Health Bureau, the hospital denied involvement. Further inspections revealed the hospital had not contracted licensed recyclers to handle the empty containers, resulting in a NT$6,000 fine.
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ NATIONAL/ NAT3/ 9052289. shtml
2014/11/08 08:19