Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
TVBS – June 17, 2013
A common Hakka dish, stir-fried pork intestines with ginger, typically uses white vinegar to enhance its flavor. However, an investigation revealed that some restaurants may be substituting it with industrial-grade glacial acetic acid. Following the packaging of the acetic acid, reporters traced it back to the supplier, who stated that this highly concentrated glacial acetic acid (over 99%) is usually used for cleaning floors, tea stains, pipes, or even oyster shells. It is corrosive and can cause severe burns. Industrial acetic acid is half to one-third cheaper than food-grade vinegar, and when diluted 20 times, just one drop can make a dish very sour. Businesses caught using it illegally face fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$150,000.
During lunchtime, the restaurant was busy, adding spoonfuls of seasoning. But upon closer inspection, one bottle turned out to be industrial glacial acetic acid—just one capful could season three bowls of food.
**Reporter:** "Why use industrial glacial acetic acid?"
**Complained Food Stall:** "I don’t know. It’s what we’ve always used."
**Glacial Acetic Acid Supplier:** "This is for industrial and chemical use."
Reporters tracked down the supplier based on the packaging of the acetic acid bottle on the table. The supplier confirmed it was indeed industrial-grade glacial acetic acid, labeled as over 99% concentration, corrosive, flammable, and harmful if inhaled or ingested. So why was it being used in food?
**Complained Food Stall:** "It’s for cleaning the intestines, removing the grease inside."
The restaurant later produced a bucket of food-grade vinegar to refute the claim. However, even if the industrial acetic acid was only used for cleaning, it was still illegal under food safety laws, punishable by fines of NT$30,000 to NT$150,000.
Normally, a spoonful of food-grade acetic acid (with a maximum concentration of 5%) is enough to flavor stir-fried pork intestines with ginger. Industrial acetic acid, at over 99% concentration, must be diluted more than 20 times—just one drop makes it extremely sour. If added to food, the sourness lacks the mellow aftertaste of edible vinegar and can leave a stinging sensation on the tongue.
Restaurants take the risk because industrial acetic acid is half to one-third cheaper. Industrial-grade glacial acetic acid is mostly used for cleaning, dissolving oyster shells, or even developing film.
**TVBS Reporter Zeng Lingyuan:** "Due to its high concentration and corrosiveness, industrial acetic acid is tested here on a dirty floor to demonstrate its cleaning power."In less than two or three strokes, the black stains were scrubbed clean, emitting a strong, pungent odor. Food-grade vinegar must pass ten chemical substance tests before it can be legally added to food. Using this floor-cleaning glacial acetic acid, diluted and added to food—how can people not be terrified?
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E7……4% A7% E8% 85% B8- 100447782. html;_ylt=AtdecAjaS0cwVrjbMlqxSbiVBdF_;_ylu=X3oDMTRoczZmbWwzBG1pdANNb3N0cG9wdWxhciBFZGl0aW5nIEZQIE1EBHBrZwM2ZTQwNjMxOS1lMWE3LTM1NjUtYjZmYy0wYTBhMjg0NDM2ZDkEcG9zAzIEc2VjA01lZGlhQkxpc3RNaXhlZExQQ0FUZW1wBHZlcgMyOTJmNDcyMi1kNzYxLTExZTItYWYzZi1iM2IyNTUwOTJhMTE-;_ylg=X3oDMTFxZmE5djNsBGludGwDdHcEbGFuZwN6aC1oYW50LXR3BHBzdGFpZAMEcHN0Y2F0A.aWsOiBnummlumggQRwdANwbWg-;_ylv=3
〈Exclusive〉Outrageous! Diluted Glacial Acetic Acid Used in Cooking Stir-Fried Pork Intestines with Ginger
A common Hakka dish, stir-fried pork intestines with ginger, typically uses white vinegar to enhance its flavor. However, an investigation revealed that some restaurants may be substituting it with industrial-grade glacial acetic acid. Following the packaging of the acetic acid, reporters traced it back to the supplier, who stated that this highly concentrated glacial acetic acid (over 99%) is usually used for cleaning floors, tea stains, pipes, or even oyster shells. It is corrosive and can cause severe burns. Industrial acetic acid is half to one-third cheaper than food-grade vinegar, and when diluted 20 times, just one drop can make a dish very sour. Businesses caught using it illegally face fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$150,000.
During lunchtime, the restaurant was busy, adding spoonfuls of seasoning. But upon closer inspection, one bottle turned out to be industrial glacial acetic acid—just one capful could season three bowls of food.
**Reporter:** "Why use industrial glacial acetic acid?"
**Complained Food Stall:** "I don’t know. It’s what we’ve always used."
**Glacial Acetic Acid Supplier:** "This is for industrial and chemical use."
Reporters tracked down the supplier based on the packaging of the acetic acid bottle on the table. The supplier confirmed it was indeed industrial-grade glacial acetic acid, labeled as over 99% concentration, corrosive, flammable, and harmful if inhaled or ingested. So why was it being used in food?
**Complained Food Stall:** "It’s for cleaning the intestines, removing the grease inside."
The restaurant later produced a bucket of food-grade vinegar to refute the claim. However, even if the industrial acetic acid was only used for cleaning, it was still illegal under food safety laws, punishable by fines of NT$30,000 to NT$150,000.
Normally, a spoonful of food-grade acetic acid (with a maximum concentration of 5%) is enough to flavor stir-fried pork intestines with ginger. Industrial acetic acid, at over 99% concentration, must be diluted more than 20 times—just one drop makes it extremely sour. If added to food, the sourness lacks the mellow aftertaste of edible vinegar and can leave a stinging sensation on the tongue.
Restaurants take the risk because industrial acetic acid is half to one-third cheaper. Industrial-grade glacial acetic acid is mostly used for cleaning, dissolving oyster shells, or even developing film.
**TVBS Reporter Zeng Lingyuan:** "Due to its high concentration and corrosiveness, industrial acetic acid is tested here on a dirty floor to demonstrate its cleaning power."In less than two or three strokes, the black stains were scrubbed clean, emitting a strong, pungent odor. Food-grade vinegar must pass ten chemical substance tests before it can be legally added to food. Using this floor-cleaning glacial acetic acid, diluted and added to food—how can people not be terrified?
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E7……4% A7% E8% 85% B8- 100447782. html;_ylt=AtdecAjaS0cwVrjbMlqxSbiVBdF_;_ylu=X3oDMTRoczZmbWwzBG1pdANNb3N0cG9wdWxhciBFZGl0aW5nIEZQIE1EBHBrZwM2ZTQwNjMxOS1lMWE3LTM1NjUtYjZmYy0wYTBhMjg0NDM2ZDkEcG9zAzIEc2VjA01lZGlhQkxpc3RNaXhlZExQQ0FUZW1wBHZlcgMyOTJmNDcyMi1kNzYxLTExZTItYWYzZi1iM2IyNTUwOTJhMTE-;_ylg=X3oDMTFxZmE5djNsBGludGwDdHcEbGFuZwN6aC1oYW50LXR3BHBzdGFpZAMEcHN0Y2F0A.aWsOiBnummlumggQRwdANwbWg-;_ylv=3