"Not for consumption" flowers and herbs flow into tea bags and plant essence drinks, affecting 80 products; Chang Gung Biotechnology, Gongguan Farmers' Association and others among those implicated

The Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced this evening that Miaoli County-based Chengjian Biotechnology Co., Ltd. purchased "flower and herb plants not for consumption" from "Herong Company" and "Yongsheng Tang Trading Company" between January 2013 and March 2015, in total amounts of 5,790 kg and 257 kg respectively, and used them to make 29 brands (28 commissioned manufacturers plus its own brand) and 80 tea bag products. The commissioned manufacturers span 9 counties and cities, and well-known brands including Chang Gung Biotechnology, Gongguan Farmers' Association, Taiwan Weiqian and Tai'an Guanzhi Hot Spring are all affected.

A total of nine counties and cities are currently affected, namely Yilan County, Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu City, Miaoli County, Taichung City, Changhua County and Kaohsiung City. The types of product sales channels include tourist attractions, restaurants, hotels, hotels and companies. About 3,030 kg has been recalled and removed from shelves so far.

These include Chang Gung Biotechnology's "Roselle Tea," "Mulberry Leaf Tea" and "Calm Mint" tea bags, Taiwan Weiqian's "Brown Rice Green Tea," Kangxixuan's "Kangfu Tea," and many well-known tea drinks and tea bags sold on the market, all of which used Chengjian's problematic flower and herb plants.