Ding Xin hit by another scandal: imported Vietnamese feed-grade lard declared as food-grade

Ting Hsin is in trouble again! The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held an impromptu press conference at 8:30 tonight, revealing that Ting Hsin Oil & Fat Industrial Co., Ltd. imported feed-grade lard from the Vietnamese company DAI HANH PHUC CO., LTD, but declared it as food-grade. The FDA has already sealed 2 lard tanks at Ting Hsin's Pingtung factory, totaling 358 metric tons, and effective immediately has suspended the acceptance of food inspection applications for all beef tallow and lard imported from Vietnam. However, the related products are still being inventoried, and no precautionary recall has been requested. The FDA stated that after further clarification, it does not rule out requiring a full recall of Ting Hsin's oil products tomorrow.

FDA Acting Director-General Chiang Yu-mei said that after Chang Guann Company previously imported feed-grade oil from Hong Kong, China's King-Po Transportation Company, the FDA on the evening of September 11 took stock of all lard imported from Spain, Vietnam and Japan, as well as beef tallow from Australia, and at that time asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help contact local governments for verification.

Yesterday afternoon the FDA received a telegram from the representative office in Vietnam, in which Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade replied: "The fat and oil products exported by DAI HANH PHUC CO., LTD are for feed use only, and are not used for food (edible oil)."

Chiang Yu-mei said that when Ting Hsin filed its declaration, it declared the lard imported from this company as food-grade; if adulteration or counterfeiting is involved, a fine of NT$60,000 to NT$50 million may be imposed, but it still must be investigated by the prosecutors and investigators, and after further clarification, it does not rule out requiring a full recall of Ting Hsin's oil products tomorrow.

Feng Jun-lan, director of the Regional Management Center, said that early this morning two teams of colleagues were dispatched, respectively to Ting Hsin's Changhua company and Ting Hsin's Pingtung factory, and pursuant to Article 41, Paragraph 1 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, sealed on the spot the 2 lard tanks at the Pingtung factory, which contain 180 metric tons and 178 metric tons respectively, totaling 358 metric tons of lard, temporarily sealed as a precaution and not to be shipped out, but the products are still being inventoried.

Feng Jun-lan said that at present only Ting Hsin is known to have imported lard from this Vietnamese oil company; other entities have not yet replied, and the import quantities, dates and other details are still being investigated, with no relevant information available.

The FDA announced that effective immediately, the acceptance of food inspection applications for beef tallow and lard imported from Vietnam is suspended. However, Feng Jun-lan said that all lard currently imported from Vietnam comes from this company.

Ting Hsin: Vietnam import documents state it is fit for human use

In the evening Ting Hsin also issued its latest statement, posting the Vietnamese certification documents and the Ministry of Health and Welfare's approval notice on its website. Ting Hsin said that the export documents state "fit for human use," and that after sampling, inspection and certification by the Vietnamese notary VINACONTROL, certification documents were issued confirming it as "fit for human use."

Ting Hsin said that at the time of import it declared the goods for food use, and after passing inspection by the FDA of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, an "Import Food and Related Products Permit Notice" was issued, which proves that the lard raw material oil imported by Ting Hsin Oil & Fat Company is indeed for food use, and not feed-grade oil.