Taiwanese snacks cleared of using tainted cooking oil

Tainan City authorities have conducted thorough checks on popular snack products, including "Chenggong Potato Chips" and "Empress Peas," in response to a food safety alert concerning cooking oil contaminated with a cancer-causing substance. The investigation aimed to ensure that products sold within the city's cultural heritage sites are safe for consumption.

Following media reports about Lian Hwa Foods recalling some products due to the tainted oil scandal, the Tainan City Cultural Affairs Bureau immediately contacted the manufacturer. Lian Hwa Foods confirmed through raw material tracing, production batch management, and product traceability that the "Chenggong Potato Chips" and "Empress Peas," which are produced by a commissioned manufacturer, did not use the implicated oil. The products have been cleared and deemed safe.

Cultural Affairs Bureau Director Huang Ya-ling stated that all cultural heritage-limited products and venue food services currently being sold have been verified by cooperative manufacturers. None of them used the problematic oil. Furthermore, a comprehensive check of oil products used at outsourced venues and related catering and retail points found no instances of the announced contaminated oil being used, assuring the public of their safety.

Mayor Huang Wei-che emphasized that there is no room for compromise on food safety. He has instructed all relevant departments to complete inventory and risk control measures swiftly. Any food supplied through city government outsourcing, procurement, or cooperative partnerships will undergo strict scrutiny and traceability management. The city government is committed to upholding the highest standards of food safety and protecting consumer rights.