The Taipei Municipal Health Bureau inspected the sacrificial food before the Ching Ming Festival and found that the shredded dried tofu was unqualified.

(Photo provided by Beishi Health Bureau)

[Reporter Cai Sipei/Taipei Report] Tomb-sweeping Day is approaching, and the Taipei City Health Bureau has randomly inspected 35 pieces of Ching-ming offerings in bakery stores, well-known business districts, or sacrificial food stores around temples, markets, supermarkets, and vegetarian wholesale and retail businesses. Food, 4 pieces of dried tofu products were found to have bleach or preservatives, and the industry has been asked to remove them from the shelves.

The Health Bureau inspected preservatives, bactericides, bleaching agents, aflatoxins, coloring agents and other items on the food for the Qingming Festival. The bleaching agent "hydrogen peroxide" was detected in the dried tofu in Xinyi District; the preservative "benzoic acid" was found to exceed the standard in the dried tofu shreds of Ahongrun cake in Xinyi District.

The Health Bureau has asked the operators to take off the shelves of soy products that do not comply with the regulations.

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The Health Bureau stated that the sources of the three violations were from other counties and cities, and they have been transferred to the Health Bureau of the jurisdiction to handle them according to their powers and responsibilities. If the violations are found to be true, the manufacturer violated Article 18 of the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Law, and will be punished according to Article 47 of the same law. , a fine of more than 30,000 yuan and less than 3 million yuan shall be imposed.

If the seller cannot provide the exact source, a fine of more than 30,000 yuan and less than 3 million yuan will be imposed in accordance with Article 47, paragraph 11, of the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Law.

The Health Bureau stated that hydrogen peroxide, commonly known as hydrogen peroxide, is a bleach and disinfectant commonly used in households. Although it can be used in food (except flour and its products) for sterilization purposes, it must not remain in the final product.

Benzoic acid is a common preservative, also known as "benzoic acid". Adding it to food can inhibit the growth of microorganisms and prolong the shelf life of food. However, excessive consumption of benzoic acid can cause diarrhea, stomach pain and other physical discomfort.

The Health Bureau advises the public not to be oriented by the color of the product when purchasing food, and to be vigilant when buying food that is abnormally white or deviates too much from the traditional color, so as to reduce the risk of buying illegal food.