Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
NOWnews – December 16, 2013
Reporter Li Hongdian / Taipei Report
Are you eating safely? The Taipei City Health Bureau today (16th) announced the results of its second-half sampling inspections of ready-to-eat cooked foods, food samples from institutional and school cooperatives, and hot pot ingredients for the year. The inspections found issues with pork chop bento boxes, soy milk, and frozen tofu.
With the number of people frequently dining out increasing yearly, the Taipei City Health Bureau conducted sampling inspections of ready-to-eat cooked foods such as braised dishes, noodles, sandwiches, rice balls, bento boxes, burgers, and light meals to ensure consumer safety. A total of 50 items were sampled, among which the "pork chop bento" produced by the well-known hotel Leofoo Hotel (Breeze Station) was found to exceed the allowable limit for E. coli.
In the second half of 2013, the Taipei City Health Bureau sampled ready-to-eat cooked foods from convenience stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets, food courts, cafes, and restaurants. The items tested for hygiene standards (most probable number of coliforms and E. coli), while convenience store oden was tested for preservatives (benzoic acid, sorbic acid, and dehydroacetic acid). Additionally, convenience store tea eggs were newly tested for veterinary drug residues and colorants. The results showed that veterinary drug residues, colorants, and preservatives all met regulations. However, 11 items initially failed hygiene standards. The bureau ordered the businesses to improve within a deadline, and upon re-inspection, one "pork chop bento" still failed to meet standards. The health bureau penalized the manufacturer NT$30,000 under Article 17 and Article 48, Paragraph 3 of the Food Sanitation Management Act and continues to guide the business in producing and selling products that meet hygiene standards.
Additionally, to ensure the hygiene and quality of meals provided by institutional and school cooperatives for Taipei residents and students, the Taipei City Health Bureau launched a sampling inspection project starting in October 2013. A total of 70 samples were taken (40 from schools and 30 from institutions). The results revealed that soy milk from the restaurant affiliated with the Soldiers' and Sailors' Service Association of the Republic of China (Hero House Military Friends Restaurant) contained preservatives, violating regulations. The business was ordered to remove the product from shelves and cease sales.
This project sampled 70 products, including 60 cooked foods such as sandwiches (19 items), bread (14 items), burgers (5 items), rice balls (4 items), turnip cakes (4 items), cakes (3 items), buns (2 items), and others (9 items, including sticky rice, hash browns, sushi, hot dogs, cheese pancakes, scallion pancakes, steamed buns, egg pancakes, and vegetable rolls). The items were tested for general food hygiene standards (appearance, most probable number of coliforms, and E. coli). Six products initially failed hygiene standards but passed upon re-inspection after businesses were ordered to improve.
Separately, 10 soy milk samples were tested for preservatives, with one sample found to contain 0.75 g/kg of benzoic acid (standard: not permitted). The source was identified as Jianhua Xing, a Taipei-based manufacturer. The bureau penalized the business NT$30,000 under Article 18 and Article 47, Paragraph 8 of the Food Sanitation Management Act and continues to monitor and sample the product.
Furthermore, the Taipei City Health Bureau conducted a sampling inspection of hot pot ingredients sold in markets, hot pot restaurants, supermarkets, and eateries. The items were tested for preservatives, hydrogen peroxide, borax, veterinary drugs, sulfur dioxide, and other substances. A total of 50 products were sampled, with four failing quality tests (an 8% failure rate—0% for packaged products, 0/9; 9.8% for unpackaged products, 4/41). Labeling checks on nine packaged products all met regulations.Analyzed by product category, the four products that failed quality inspection were all frozen tofu, which were found to contain the prohibited preservative benzoic acid. The failure rates are as follows:
(1) Out of 10 frozen tofu samples, 4 were non-compliant (40% failure rate). These included frozen tofu from: Dadi Zhu Catering Co., Ltd. (Zhongxiao Branch), Xianglin Snack Shop (Hot Pot Family), Jiahe Snack Shop (Taoyuxuan), and Tang Gong Enterprise Co., Ltd. (Tang Palace Mongolian Barbecue).
(2) All 10 rice blood cakes, 10 fish paste products, 5 dipping sauces, 5 meatballs, 5 konjac products, and 5 duck blood samples met the standards.
The Taipei City Health Department stated that the products failing quality inspection violated Article 18 and Article 47, Clause 8 of the Food Sanitation Management Act, and the manufacturers or responsible companies may face fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million. The Health Department has instructed retailers and suppliers to remove the non-compliant products from shelves immediately. For products traced to other counties or cities, the case has been referred to the respective local health authorities. For products sourced within Taipei City, penalties have been imposed in accordance with the Food Sanitation Management Act.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E9……0% 88% E6% A0% BC- 074900649. html
Food Safety Alert: Taipei Inspections Find Non-Compliant Lunch Boxes, Soy Milk, and Tofu
Reporter Li Hongdian / Taipei Report
Are you eating safely? The Taipei City Health Bureau today (16th) announced the results of its second-half sampling inspections of ready-to-eat cooked foods, food samples from institutional and school cooperatives, and hot pot ingredients for the year. The inspections found issues with pork chop bento boxes, soy milk, and frozen tofu.
With the number of people frequently dining out increasing yearly, the Taipei City Health Bureau conducted sampling inspections of ready-to-eat cooked foods such as braised dishes, noodles, sandwiches, rice balls, bento boxes, burgers, and light meals to ensure consumer safety. A total of 50 items were sampled, among which the "pork chop bento" produced by the well-known hotel Leofoo Hotel (Breeze Station) was found to exceed the allowable limit for E. coli.
In the second half of 2013, the Taipei City Health Bureau sampled ready-to-eat cooked foods from convenience stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets, food courts, cafes, and restaurants. The items tested for hygiene standards (most probable number of coliforms and E. coli), while convenience store oden was tested for preservatives (benzoic acid, sorbic acid, and dehydroacetic acid). Additionally, convenience store tea eggs were newly tested for veterinary drug residues and colorants. The results showed that veterinary drug residues, colorants, and preservatives all met regulations. However, 11 items initially failed hygiene standards. The bureau ordered the businesses to improve within a deadline, and upon re-inspection, one "pork chop bento" still failed to meet standards. The health bureau penalized the manufacturer NT$30,000 under Article 17 and Article 48, Paragraph 3 of the Food Sanitation Management Act and continues to guide the business in producing and selling products that meet hygiene standards.
Additionally, to ensure the hygiene and quality of meals provided by institutional and school cooperatives for Taipei residents and students, the Taipei City Health Bureau launched a sampling inspection project starting in October 2013. A total of 70 samples were taken (40 from schools and 30 from institutions). The results revealed that soy milk from the restaurant affiliated with the Soldiers' and Sailors' Service Association of the Republic of China (Hero House Military Friends Restaurant) contained preservatives, violating regulations. The business was ordered to remove the product from shelves and cease sales.
This project sampled 70 products, including 60 cooked foods such as sandwiches (19 items), bread (14 items), burgers (5 items), rice balls (4 items), turnip cakes (4 items), cakes (3 items), buns (2 items), and others (9 items, including sticky rice, hash browns, sushi, hot dogs, cheese pancakes, scallion pancakes, steamed buns, egg pancakes, and vegetable rolls). The items were tested for general food hygiene standards (appearance, most probable number of coliforms, and E. coli). Six products initially failed hygiene standards but passed upon re-inspection after businesses were ordered to improve.
Separately, 10 soy milk samples were tested for preservatives, with one sample found to contain 0.75 g/kg of benzoic acid (standard: not permitted). The source was identified as Jianhua Xing, a Taipei-based manufacturer. The bureau penalized the business NT$30,000 under Article 18 and Article 47, Paragraph 8 of the Food Sanitation Management Act and continues to monitor and sample the product.
Furthermore, the Taipei City Health Bureau conducted a sampling inspection of hot pot ingredients sold in markets, hot pot restaurants, supermarkets, and eateries. The items were tested for preservatives, hydrogen peroxide, borax, veterinary drugs, sulfur dioxide, and other substances. A total of 50 products were sampled, with four failing quality tests (an 8% failure rate—0% for packaged products, 0/9; 9.8% for unpackaged products, 4/41). Labeling checks on nine packaged products all met regulations.Analyzed by product category, the four products that failed quality inspection were all frozen tofu, which were found to contain the prohibited preservative benzoic acid. The failure rates are as follows:
(1) Out of 10 frozen tofu samples, 4 were non-compliant (40% failure rate). These included frozen tofu from: Dadi Zhu Catering Co., Ltd. (Zhongxiao Branch), Xianglin Snack Shop (Hot Pot Family), Jiahe Snack Shop (Taoyuxuan), and Tang Gong Enterprise Co., Ltd. (Tang Palace Mongolian Barbecue).
(2) All 10 rice blood cakes, 10 fish paste products, 5 dipping sauces, 5 meatballs, 5 konjac products, and 5 duck blood samples met the standards.
The Taipei City Health Department stated that the products failing quality inspection violated Article 18 and Article 47, Clause 8 of the Food Sanitation Management Act, and the manufacturers or responsible companies may face fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million. The Health Department has instructed retailers and suppliers to remove the non-compliant products from shelves immediately. For products traced to other counties or cities, the case has been referred to the respective local health authorities. For products sourced within Taipei City, penalties have been imposed in accordance with the Food Sanitation Management Act.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E9……0% 88% E6% A0% BC- 074900649. html