Hsinchu City Council Accuses Government of Spreading False Information on Carcinogenic Oil Recall

The New Power Party (NPP) caucus in the Hsinchu City Council has accused the city government of disseminating false information concerning the recall of carcinogenic oil. The party alleges that while the Health Bureau reported having removed over 20,213 kg of tainted oil, a figure later increased to approximately 30,000 kg, the actual amount recovered was less than 5,000 kg. This implies that over 25,000 kg of the hazardous oil has already entered the market.

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The Health Bureau issued false news in an attempt to cover up the problem.

The NPP caucus criticized the Health Bureau for not actively investigating and disclosing the oil's distribution channels. Instead, they claim the bureau issued misleading information to downplay the issue, exposing citizens to food safety risks. The party is demanding an apology from the Health Bureau and insists the city government must immediately publish inspection lists and results for food processing plants, public market vendors, and restaurants. They also called for mandatory oil testing for vendors supplying kitchens in government agencies, schools, and group meal services.

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The actual recovery amount was less than 20%, and tens of thousands of kilograms of carcinogenic oil had already entered the market.

In response, the Hsinchu City Government held its own press conference, stating that it launched a cross-departmental investigation and expanded inspections upon receiving information about the problematic oil's flow from the central Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Health Bureau Director Chen Hou-chuan stated that inspections of relevant problematic oil brands, including Fwusow, Fwumo, and Tai Shan, began on July 3rd. As of 6 p.m. on July 8th, a total of 29,688.2 kg of problematic and preventatively recalled oil had been removed from shelves, with approximately 5,862 kg recovered.

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The Health Bureau director should publicly apologize for this.

The Education Department also affirmed that the cooking oil used in the school lunches of Hsinchu City's 47 public elementary and middle schools did not include the affected batches. The NPP caucus, however, maintains that the Health Bureau's initial statement on July 2nd, reporting over 20,213 kg of oil removed, was false, as the actual recovery rate was less than 20%. They argue that tens of thousands of kilograms of carcinogenic oil have already circulated, and the bureau's actions are an attempt to minimize the crisis, disregarding the public's food safety concerns. The caucus reiterated its call for the Health Bureau director to apologize and for the city to release a complete list of inspected businesses, product items, and batch numbers, cross-referenced with FDA data.

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As of 6 p.m. yesterday (8th), a total of 29,688.2 kilograms of problematic and preventatively removed oil have been taken off shelves, and approximately 5,862 kilograms have been recovered.