Chiayi County Health Bureau Continues Inspections of Far East Oils' Reprocessed Products Made with Expired Ingredients

The Chiayi County Health Bureau and its health offices mobilized all staff on March 13, forming inspection teams at 7 a.m. to visit breakfast shops and check whether reprocessed products made by Far East Oils from expired ingredients had been fully removed from sale, in order to ensure consumer food safety. A total of 82 establishments were inspected, of which 8 had already removed the Far East Oils products they used pending collection by the company, with 54.56 kg awaiting collection.

During the same inspections of breakfast shops' food preparation and sales areas, the Chiayi County Health Bureau found deficiencies including food ingredients in cold storage not being kept covered, immediate ready-to-eat food being handled without gloves, and staff wearing accessories. Operators were ordered on the spot to make immediate corrections.

The inspection teams also inspected midstream distributors, convenience store outlets, bakeries and food service businesses selling Far East Oils products. On the 13th, they inspected 82 breakfast businesses, 66 sellers, 32 bakeries, 5 food service businesses and 1 manufacturer, totaling 186 establishments, with 102.09 kg removed from sale and recalled.

The Chiayi County Health Bureau will continue inspections and supervise operators in carrying out removals from sale and recalls to ensure no non-compliant products remain on the market. It also calls on food businesses that have used such products to immediately stop manufacturing, processing and selling them in accordance with Article 7 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, carry out recalls, and notify the competent health authority. If any are found still selling or using non-compliant products, they will be fined NT$30,000 to NT$3 million under Article 47 of the same Act.

The Chiayi County Health Bureau also calls on the public to immediately report to the health bureau if they find businesses still using the above products when making purchases, to ensure public food safety.