Taiwan suspects Chinese ingredients in tea oil contamination; investigation launched

Taiwan's Minister of Health and Welfare, Shih Chung-liang, has indicated that the recent detections of the carcinogen benzopyrene in tea oil products likely stem from imported raw ingredients, with China being a suspected source. The investigation follows two separate incidents involving eight batches of tea oil that exceeded Taiwan's safety standards.

While the involved companies, including Yuen Foong Yu and International Functional Products, claim to use local tea seeds, they have failed to provide sufficient proof of origin. Shih stated that the ministry "highly suspects" that imported tea seeds were used, and based on the circumstances, these likely originated from China. Taiwan's regulatory limit for benzopyrene is 2 parts per billion (ppb), significantly stricter than China's limit of 10 ppb. This discrepancy raises concerns about the safety of imported ingredients.

The ministry has halted the use of suspect raw materials in production and is working with local health bureaus and the Food and Drug Administration to trace the source and flow of these ingredients. Shih explained that the high temperatures typically used in tea oil production do not usually generate such levels of benzopyrene, suggesting the contamination likely occurred during the drying process of the tea seeds themselves. In response, the ministry plans to initiate a special investigation into the tea oil issue and roll out a risk analysis and guidance program for edible oils, implementing a tiered management system based on risk levels.