2 dried tofu products tested for illegal ingredients

The Food and Drug Administration reported yesterday that two dried tofu products have tested positive for the industrial dye dimethyl yellow.

Following on from the 2014 dried tofu food safety scandal, FDA officials reported two dried tofu products have been tainted with the banned industrial dye, while another two were found to have exceeded preservative levels, and a further one was carrying misleading labels.

Wei Fang's dried tofu in Jinsha Township, Kinmen and Guandong tofu store's bean curd in Jhutian Township, Pingtung County are the tofu stores reported to have manufactured products with the illegal industrial dye.

Wei Fang removed 690 kilograms of products and was fined NT$90,000 (S$4,000), while Guandong removed 180 kilograms and was fined NT$40,000.

Exceeded Preservative Levels

Tian Su Food Company's Daixi dried tofu in Taichung City was tested and found to contain 2.118 grams/kilogram of hexadienoic acid. The enterprise is currently applying for reinspection.

Pingtung County's Chia Chuan five spices dried tofu was tainted with 0.97 grams/kilogram of benzoic acid . Chia Chuan removed 1.8 kilograms of tainted products and was fined NT$105,000.

Fake Labeling in Taichung

Sa Chia Hsing food manufacturing company had been labeling its tofu products as containing phosphate, yet investigators found the company had failed to provide a complete Chinese labeling of the phosphate substance. The enterprise has announced it will alter the label.

New Taipei City's Jiunn Hwa Enterprise failed to register its antifoaming agent. Jiunn Hwa had already been fined NT$30,000 last year and NT$80,000 during the current food safety scandal.

The FDA conducted tests on the following bean products: tofu, dried tofu, bean curd skin, fermented bean curd, bean paste. Other tested ingredients include: dimethyl yellow, diethyl yellow, preservatives, peroxide and metanil yellow.