Spring roll wrappers found to contain formaldehyde; random testing in Chiayi County finds 60% contain industrial bleaching agents
The Chiayi County Government took samples of 8 items of "runbing skin" (spring roll wrapper) for testing on March 12, and the test results were released today: 5 producers were found to have formaldehyde in their "runbing skin", and the operators have been handed over to the judicial authorities.
Today, inspection personnel from the Chiayi County Health Bureau, together with the criminal investigation brigade of the police department, went separately to the 5 businesses that make and sell "runbing skin" for inspection. No illegal additive commonly known as "diaobai block" was found at the sites. On site, 75 jin of semi-finished products and about 9 jin of finished products were sealed, and the operators had clearly violated Article 15, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 10 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation by adding an additive not approved by the central competent authority; in addition to being handed over to the judicial authorities under Article 49 of the same Act, the operators were also ordered to stop work.
The Health Bureau said that "diaobai block" is a compound of formaldehyde and sodium hydrosulfite. It is an industrial bleach and, because of its carcinogenic risk, all countries prohibit adding it to food. At present, no bleach may be added to flour products (runbing skin belongs to flour products). Illegal use in food will leave residues of formaldehyde and sulfites; formaldehyde can cause headache and dizziness, while sulfites can irritate the respiratory tract and cause allergies and asthma.
If members of the public or food businesses have any food hygiene concerns, they may call the Health Bureau's Drug and Food Management Section hotline at 05-3620613 for consultation.
