Taiwanese Food Company Executives Detained in Carcinogen Oil Scandal

Tai Shan's former and current general managers, Shen Yi-chun and Tsai Kuo-liang, have been detained and barred from leaving the country. This action stems from an ongoing food safety scandal involving soybean salad oil sold by Zhonglian Oil, which was found to contain excessive levels of the carcinogen benzopyrene (BaP).

The investigation, led by the Taichung District Prosecutors Office, is in its third wave of searches. Authorities are meticulously tracing the distribution of the contaminated oil and examining the corporate accountability of implicated companies. The probe has already led to searches of Tai Shan, Fwusow, Fwumao Oils, and Zhonglian Oil.

Prosecutors have detained Shen and Tsai, along with a factory director surnamed Zhang, on suspicion of violating food safety laws. Shen and Tsai face additional charges of evidence tampering and collusion, leading to their detention and travel ban. The factory director was released on NT$5 million bail, while seven others were released after questioning.

Investigators have seized electronic devices and are reviewing procurement contracts and sales records for the affected salad oil batches. The goal is to establish a clear link between raw material sources, production, and distribution, ensuring no contaminated products reach consumers.