Carcinogenic Oil Found in 50 New Taipei Schools; Councilor Criticizes City Hall's 'Toothpaste' Information Release

Soybean salad oil produced by Zhonglian Oil has been found to contain benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), a Class 1 carcinogen, at levels four times the legal limit, triggering widespread food safety concerns across Taiwan.

New Taipei City confirmed that three catering service providers used the contaminated oil, impacting 50 schools within the city. However, city councilor Chen Nai-yu has accused the municipal government of a "toothpaste" approach to information disclosure. She argued that releasing only half the facts is equivalent to concealing the truth, demanding full transparency from the authorities.

The incident has raised questions about the oversight and regulatory processes for food products, particularly those supplied to educational institutions. The public is awaiting further details on the extent of the contamination and the steps being taken to ensure the safety of school meals.

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public information is released like squeezing toothpaste: only a little bit at a time. Releasing half the information is the same as concealing the truth.