Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
China Times Electronic News
By Liang Yiting and Feng Huiyi, Taichung Report
November 15, 2014
Cai Ruiyi, a bean sprout vendor caught by Taichung prosecutors and police for illegally soaking bean sprouts with sodium hydrosulfite, defended himself yesterday by presenting a February test report showing no detection of sulfur dioxide or hydrogen peroxide. He claimed he had no intention of tarnishing his family’s three-generation reputation in bean sprout production.
Cai further argued that the Ministry of Health and Welfare had never explicitly prohibited the use of the chemical, adding that 99.9% of bean sprout vendors use it. He insisted that as long as no residues were detected, the product was safe, and even his own family consumed the sprouts.
The practice of soaking bean sprouts with "bleaching powder" has been around for a long time. Market vendors pointed out that fresh bean sprouts are slightly yellow, but soaking them with sodium hydrosulfite makes them whiter, plumper, and more visually appealing, allowing them to sell for an extra NT$1 to NT$2 per 100 grams. Many food stall owners admitted, "Isn’t this how everyone does it?"
Yang Yaluan, head of the food section at the Taichung City Health Bureau, advised consumers to avoid overly white bean sprouts when shopping at markets, as untreated sprouts tend to be yellowish. She recommended soaking the sprouts in clean water at home and briefly blanching them in hot water before consumption to effectively reduce sodium hydrosulfite residues.
Cai questioned why dried fruits are allowed to contain the additive while bean sprouts are not. He claimed he was unaware that sodium hydrosulfite was prohibited and believed it was safe as long as no residues remained. It was only after prosecutors cited the Food Safety Act that he learned it was banned for bean sprouts.
Cai explained that he inherited the bean sprout business from his father and initially only rinsed the sprouts with water before selling them. Two years ago, a chemical factory in Chiayi recommended using "bleaching powder" for sterilization and whitening. Facing market competition and believing it was a modern improvement, he adopted the practice.
He stressed that he did not know whether the "bleaching powder" he purchased was industrial-grade. After a food safety incident in Tainan earlier this year, the factory advised him to stop using it, and he reverted to water rinsing. He also sent his sodium hydrosulfite-treated sprouts for testing and was reassured when no harmful sulfur dioxide or hydrogen peroxide was detected.
Source: https:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E……A% BD% E8% 8F% 9C- 215037623. html
Shock! 99.9% of Vendors Sell Bleached Bean Sprouts
By Liang Yiting and Feng Huiyi, Taichung Report
November 15, 2014
Cai Ruiyi, a bean sprout vendor caught by Taichung prosecutors and police for illegally soaking bean sprouts with sodium hydrosulfite, defended himself yesterday by presenting a February test report showing no detection of sulfur dioxide or hydrogen peroxide. He claimed he had no intention of tarnishing his family’s three-generation reputation in bean sprout production.
Cai further argued that the Ministry of Health and Welfare had never explicitly prohibited the use of the chemical, adding that 99.9% of bean sprout vendors use it. He insisted that as long as no residues were detected, the product was safe, and even his own family consumed the sprouts.
The practice of soaking bean sprouts with "bleaching powder" has been around for a long time. Market vendors pointed out that fresh bean sprouts are slightly yellow, but soaking them with sodium hydrosulfite makes them whiter, plumper, and more visually appealing, allowing them to sell for an extra NT$1 to NT$2 per 100 grams. Many food stall owners admitted, "Isn’t this how everyone does it?"
Yang Yaluan, head of the food section at the Taichung City Health Bureau, advised consumers to avoid overly white bean sprouts when shopping at markets, as untreated sprouts tend to be yellowish. She recommended soaking the sprouts in clean water at home and briefly blanching them in hot water before consumption to effectively reduce sodium hydrosulfite residues.
Cai questioned why dried fruits are allowed to contain the additive while bean sprouts are not. He claimed he was unaware that sodium hydrosulfite was prohibited and believed it was safe as long as no residues remained. It was only after prosecutors cited the Food Safety Act that he learned it was banned for bean sprouts.
Cai explained that he inherited the bean sprout business from his father and initially only rinsed the sprouts with water before selling them. Two years ago, a chemical factory in Chiayi recommended using "bleaching powder" for sterilization and whitening. Facing market competition and believing it was a modern improvement, he adopted the practice.
He stressed that he did not know whether the "bleaching powder" he purchased was industrial-grade. After a food safety incident in Tainan earlier this year, the factory advised him to stop using it, and he reverted to water rinsing. He also sent his sodium hydrosulfite-treated sprouts for testing and was reassured when no harmful sulfur dioxide or hydrogen peroxide was detected.
Source: https:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ % E……A% BD% E8% 8F% 9C- 215037623. html