Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
[Reporters Hong Suqing, Li Xinhong, Cai Zongxun, Hong Chenhong, Yang Jingjing, Meng Qingci, Yang Yamin / Comprehensive Report]
Are your boba pearls extra chewy? Be careful—you might have ingested industrial-grade modified starch!
Using "maleic acid" to enhance texture
The Department of Health recently received reports indicating that some manufacturers were illegally using industrial-grade "maleic acid" (Maleic acid) to modify starch to improve texture. After spot-checking commercially available products and tracing the supply chain to upstream raw material suppliers, it was discovered that two starch manufacturers were selling modified starch and sweet potato starch containing excessive levels of maleic acid. This led to contamination in eight products from four downstream businesses, including boba pearls, taro balls, sweet potato balls, flat rice noodles, and oden. Even major convenience store chains had stocked the problematic oden, though all affected products have since been removed from shelves. The Department of Health has recalled and sealed a total of 25 tons of contaminated products.
Taro balls, sweet potato balls, and flat rice noodles also affected
Feng Runlan, deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration's Food Division under the Department of Health, stated that 25 samples of starch products such as tapioca starch and sweet potato starch, along with 49 starch-related products, were tested. Among the 49 starch products, five were found to contain maleic acid. Further investigation revealed a total of eight non-compliant products. However, most of these issues were not due to intentional addition by businesses but rather the use of contaminated raw starch, primarily sourced from Xieqi Starch's "Qiqi Modified Starch" and Yihe Starch Company's "Sweet Potato Starch."
Pan Zhikuan, director of the Regional Management Center of the Department of Health, noted that Xieqi Starch's distribution center is in New Taipei City, while its manufacturing plant is in Tainan. Inspectors found no maleic acid-related raw materials at the plant but have ordered production to cease. Yihe Starch's sweet potato starch is imported from Vietnam, and imports have been suspended.
The Tainan City Health Bureau reported that the owner of Xieqi Starch, surnamed Liu, has consistently denied illegally adding maleic acid, claiming the raw materials were provided by a supplier in Taipei. Investigations are ongoing.
Some products from Qiqi Modified Starch were found to contain maleic acid concentrations nearing 5,000 ppm. Lin Jieliang, director of the Clinical Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, warned that this level is harmful to humans. Past animal studies show that dogs are particularly sensitive to maleic acid, with exposure exceeding 9 mg per kilogram of body weight leading to renal tubular necrosis and acute kidney failure.
The EU estimates that the tolerable daily intake of maleic acid for adults is 0.5 mg per kilogram of body weight. For a 60 kg adult, this translates to 30 mg. Based on the highest detected concentration—779 ppm in Liu Ji Boba's small pearls—consuming more than 40 grams per day would exceed safe limits.
Liu Ji Boba in Chiayi suspects the issue stems from a new sweet potato starch formula used two months ago and hopes the Department of Health will clarify the matter soon so production can resume.
Two starch manufacturers found with excessive levels
Xie Xiuqi, head of the Food Hygiene Section at the Kaohsiung City Health Bureau, stated that Kaohsiung Changsheng Food's oden and frozen authentic oden were found to be contaminated. The company voluntarily tested its products on April 28 and discovered maleic acid, leading to the destruction of 25,000 kg of raw materials. The Health Bureau determined that the company had implemented proper self-regulation and likely did not intentionally add the substance.
The New Taipei City Health Bureau announced last night that over 12,000 kg of non-compliant raw materials and products, including flat rice noodles from Jianmei Food Company, have been sealed. However, 160 kg of taro balls and sweet potato balls produced by Shangweijia Food Company have already been sold, meaning consumers may have already ingested them.
http://www. libertytimes. com. tw/ 2013/ new/ may/ 14/ today- t2. htm
Industrial Starch Found in QQ Rice Balls and Fish Cakes
Are your boba pearls extra chewy? Be careful—you might have ingested industrial-grade modified starch!
Using "maleic acid" to enhance texture
The Department of Health recently received reports indicating that some manufacturers were illegally using industrial-grade "maleic acid" (Maleic acid) to modify starch to improve texture. After spot-checking commercially available products and tracing the supply chain to upstream raw material suppliers, it was discovered that two starch manufacturers were selling modified starch and sweet potato starch containing excessive levels of maleic acid. This led to contamination in eight products from four downstream businesses, including boba pearls, taro balls, sweet potato balls, flat rice noodles, and oden. Even major convenience store chains had stocked the problematic oden, though all affected products have since been removed from shelves. The Department of Health has recalled and sealed a total of 25 tons of contaminated products.
Taro balls, sweet potato balls, and flat rice noodles also affected
Feng Runlan, deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration's Food Division under the Department of Health, stated that 25 samples of starch products such as tapioca starch and sweet potato starch, along with 49 starch-related products, were tested. Among the 49 starch products, five were found to contain maleic acid. Further investigation revealed a total of eight non-compliant products. However, most of these issues were not due to intentional addition by businesses but rather the use of contaminated raw starch, primarily sourced from Xieqi Starch's "Qiqi Modified Starch" and Yihe Starch Company's "Sweet Potato Starch."
Pan Zhikuan, director of the Regional Management Center of the Department of Health, noted that Xieqi Starch's distribution center is in New Taipei City, while its manufacturing plant is in Tainan. Inspectors found no maleic acid-related raw materials at the plant but have ordered production to cease. Yihe Starch's sweet potato starch is imported from Vietnam, and imports have been suspended.
The Tainan City Health Bureau reported that the owner of Xieqi Starch, surnamed Liu, has consistently denied illegally adding maleic acid, claiming the raw materials were provided by a supplier in Taipei. Investigations are ongoing.
Some products from Qiqi Modified Starch were found to contain maleic acid concentrations nearing 5,000 ppm. Lin Jieliang, director of the Clinical Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, warned that this level is harmful to humans. Past animal studies show that dogs are particularly sensitive to maleic acid, with exposure exceeding 9 mg per kilogram of body weight leading to renal tubular necrosis and acute kidney failure.
The EU estimates that the tolerable daily intake of maleic acid for adults is 0.5 mg per kilogram of body weight. For a 60 kg adult, this translates to 30 mg. Based on the highest detected concentration—779 ppm in Liu Ji Boba's small pearls—consuming more than 40 grams per day would exceed safe limits.
Liu Ji Boba in Chiayi suspects the issue stems from a new sweet potato starch formula used two months ago and hopes the Department of Health will clarify the matter soon so production can resume.
Two starch manufacturers found with excessive levels
Xie Xiuqi, head of the Food Hygiene Section at the Kaohsiung City Health Bureau, stated that Kaohsiung Changsheng Food's oden and frozen authentic oden were found to be contaminated. The company voluntarily tested its products on April 28 and discovered maleic acid, leading to the destruction of 25,000 kg of raw materials. The Health Bureau determined that the company had implemented proper self-regulation and likely did not intentionally add the substance.
The New Taipei City Health Bureau announced last night that over 12,000 kg of non-compliant raw materials and products, including flat rice noodles from Jianmei Food Company, have been sealed. However, 160 kg of taro balls and sweet potato balls produced by Shangweijia Food Company have already been sold, meaning consumers may have already ingested them.
http://www. libertytimes. com. tw/ 2013/ new/ may/ 14/ today- t2. htm