Taiwan identifies 25 businesses using contaminated oil, including major eateries and hospital nutrition department

Taiwan's food safety authorities have identified 25 businesses that used contaminated oil supplied by Zhonglian Oil, sparking concerns about the safety of food products. The list includes prominent eateries and food processors, raising alarm among consumers.

Among the affected establishments are the popular Shao Ping Zi hot pot restaurant, Formosa Food Processing Company, and the nutrition department of Taichung Veterans General Hospital. These businesses, along with four catering companies supplying meals to schools, have ceased using the oil and have removed it from their inventory. The catering companies provided meals to 67 schools, one experimental education school, and one experimental education institution.

Authorities have so far collected approximately 39,535 kilograms of the contaminated oil. The investigation is ongoing, with officials conducting checks on markets, supermarkets, night markets, restaurants, and food businesses. Companies confirmed to have used the problematic oil have been ordered to remove it, and preventative measures are being taken to recall products from the same batch but different production dates.

The city government emphasized that the investigation is progressing from the source to the downstream users. They are committed to continuously releasing updates on the oil's flow, inspections, and recall progress. The investigation will also focus on identifying the cause of contamination and ensuring that businesses strengthen their manufacturing processes and quality control.