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Nearly 1,000 food makers in Taiwan, including restaurants, bakeries and food plants, were found to have used 'gutter oil' in products. Photo: EPA

Recycled cooking oil of supplier caught up in Taiwan food scandal passes government test

Officials say one of three samples of Chang Guann's refined 'Chuan Tung' lard made with 'gutter oil' meets hygiene levels, as inquiry continues into its use in the products of nearly 1,000 food makers

Taiwan’s cooking oil supplier Chang Guann – caught up in a last week’s scandal after nearly 1,000 food makers, including restaurants, bakeries and food plants were found to have used “gutter oil” in products – has passed a government test of its recycled lard oil.

Fears over food safety on the island came to light last Thursday after it was reported that the Kaoshiung-based Chang Guann had mixed the “gutter oil” with other proper lard oil, in a ratio of 1:2, to produce 782 tonnes of “Chuan Tung” oil, which was then sold to businesses.

However, the Food and Drug Administration released test results today showing one sample of the oil had passed hygiene requirements; two other different samples of the oil – all obtained by the prosecutors investigating the scandal – had failed the tests.

“Our lab results show that Chuan Tung lard had been refined and, except for the heavy metal part – the test for which has yet to be completed – the lard oil meets all the [hygiene] requirements,” said Chen Hui-fang, head of the administration’s research and inspection section.

She said the tested sample of Chuan Tung lard appeared in a “pure white” form with a “fragrant smell”.

Two other samples – which had both failed the lab tests – had been collected from primary and secondary sources, she said.

One of these samples had come from an unlicensed lard factory, owned by Kuo Lieh-cheng, in the southern county of Pingtung; the other sample had come from Chang Guann, before it had refined the recycled oil, Chen said.

The various hygiene tests included an examination on the levels of toxins and metal contaminants contained in the oil.

Chiang Yu-mei, deputy director general of the administration, said that, regardless of whether Chang Guann’s refined oil had passed the test or not, it still contained recycled oil, which under Taiwanese law, was banned from sale.

Chang Guann has been accused of buying at least 240 tonnes of gutter oil - recycled from kitchen waste, by-products from leather processing plants and offal from slaughterhouses - from an unlicensed factory.

The scandal has badly affected Taiwan’s local food industry, with close to 1,000 food manufacturers, bakeries, restaurants and night markets found to have used the oil to process a huge variety of food products, including mooncakes, dumplings, instant noodles and buns.

Taiwan's government has ordered checks on all of the island's 100,000 food manufacturing and processing plants, which will take about 30 months.

On Saturday, Pingtung District Court ordered the detention of Kuo, pending further inquiries.

Police raided the underground factory on September 1 and arrested six people, including Kuo. The other five people have been released on bail.

Four importers in Hong Kong have been found to have bought oil from Chang Guann. The Hong Kong importers are Dah Chong Hong, Synergy Foods, Angliss Hong Kong Food Service and Urban Food.

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