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Updated Sunday, May 29, 2011 11:03 pm TWN, The China Post and CNA |
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Another arrest in new plasticizer findMeanwhile, investigators detained a couple suspected of manufacturing and selling the chemical to cost-conscious manufacturers and businesses in the food industry. One such business, none other than goods giant Uni-President, had to pull more of its products from the market on top of a previous recall. The clouding agents produced by Ben Hur Spices and Chemicals (賓漢香料化學公司) were found to contain the plasticizer di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) in a nationwide investigation of clouding-agent makers occasioned by the ongoing crisis, Kang Jan-jou (康照洲), director general of the DOH's Food and Drug Administration, said at a press conference yesterday. The government was trying to identify end users and locate adulterated food and beverages in an effort to prevent them from being sold to consumers, Kang said, adding the products of several food industry businesses had been placed under seal. Tipped off by Department of Health (DOH) officials looking into the manufacture and distribution of the toxic plasticizer Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, commonly abbreviated as DEHP, in the country, investigators yesterday raided Ben Hur Spices and Chemicals in Tucheng and two other locations yesterday, seizing books, orders, delivery notes and 325 kg of clouding agents. The owner of the company, a man surnamed Chen, his wife and his son were detained on the spot. The couple was remanded in police custody after a bond hearing at the Banqiao Local Court, while the junior Chen was released on a NT$100,000 bond. The chemical di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) was found in two clouding agents, P. H. Cloudy and Orange Cloudy, the company has been producing for a long time. A total of 54,822 cases of Uni-President's Pro Sweat (寶健運動飲料) sports drink, 36,533 cases of its asparagus juice, and 128 kg of its clouding agents have been placed under seal while pending tests, and so have another 5,682 cases of Pro Sweat from Mita Food Processing Company (美達食品), an authorized manufacturer for Uni-President. Altogether the products in question total more than 2 million bottles. Uni-President, Mita, and another company had bought clouding agents from Ben Hur, according to Kang. In damage-control mode, Uni-President yesterday immediately announced the debut of a new Pro Sweat concocted from ingredients containing no clouding agents to take the place of the adulterated product. Ma Urges for Calm President Ma Ying-jeou urged the public on Saturday not to “overreact” to the country's latest food safety scandal and said the government will handle the matter with the full enforcement of the law. “Vice Premier Sean Chen has been appointed to lead a task force that will address the issue and the government will certainly make all-out efforts to scrutinize every item of all tainted products,” Ma said during a visit to a farm in southern Taiwan's Tainan City.
Comments May 30, 2011 kingsolomon@ The government should redouble its efforts in unmasking these super greedy businesses otherwise the national health insurance program would go bankrupt treating the side effects of these toxic chemicals. This is intentional poisoning to make a profit, and common sense tells us that it is a criminal act done on purpose for gain. What happens now to MIT (made in Taiwan)? This logo is no good now, which means this act is also an ECONOMIC SABOTAGE! The population of Taiwan is intentionally poisoned including other countries' population because these products are also exported. Can these victims get JUSTICE from the Taiwan government? It seems it's business as usual for these big business companies. They are to blame because they just ignored or pretend ignorance about these additives that is mixed into their products to make more profits. CANCER is a very EXPENSIVE DISEASE which the government's health insurance is supporting to treat. Liver and kidney disease treatment are also very expensive. These big greedy companies at least should be slapped by a fine in the hundreds of millions or even billions (besides handing out jail terms to individuals). No amount of money could compensate for the sufferings of these innocent victims, some of which certainly becomes unproductive and which the government is also duty bound to support. So I hope we can see the government giving the Taiwanese and foreigners JUSTICE!!! | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Initially, the problem of food polluters seemed restricted to mainland China, so one could argue that this behavior was somehow related to the culture of mainland China and not the Chinese as a people, but now that the problem has arisen in Taiwan, one can no longer attribute this to the mainland culture.
"How can people be so greedy that they would knowingly pollute children?"
Is it safe to eat Chinese food imported to Canada?
Is it safe to go out to a Chinese restaurant in Canada?
I stopped buying imported foods from mainland China many months ago, but now I will avoid imported foods from Taiwan, too.
What will this news do to tourism to Chinese countries? Who wants to travel to a place where you have to worry about being poisoned?
This scandal has significantly damaged the image of the Chinese people worldwide. And that is a shame, as they have much to be proud of!