Taiwan Blocks Japanese Grape Seed Oil Over Cancer-Linked Contaminant

TFDA Takes Action After Detecting Elevated Levels of Potentially Harmful Substance in Imported Oil

Taipei, Taiwan - The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) announced on Tuesday, April 8th, that a shipment of grape seed oil imported from Japan has been blocked at the border due to the detection of excessive levels of a food processing contaminant, potentially linked to cancer. This incident underscores Taiwan's commitment to food safety and consumer protection.

The oil was found to contain 1,578 micrograms per kilogram of glycidyl fatty acid esters (GE), exceeding Taiwan's safety limit of 1,000 micrograms per kilogram. Testing, conducted on March 19th, revealed this concerning presence of the contaminant.

These esters are known to form during high-temperature refining processes used in vegetable oil production, specifically during deodorization, deacidification, and bleaching. The TFDA, in its weekly briefing, emphasized that long-term exposure to GE may pose health risks, including an increased risk of cancer.

The affected shipment, totaling 10.66 kilograms, was imported by Yumaowu Enterprise Co.

Following this breach of safety standards, the importer will now face stricter inspection protocols. TFDA Deputy Director-General Lin Chin-fu (林金富) confirmed that inspections will be upgraded from random checks to mandatory batch-by-batch testing, ensuring enhanced scrutiny of future imports from this source.

The grape seed oil was one of seven non-compliant products identified in the TFDA's latest border inspection report. Several other problematic imports also originated in Japan.

Notably, other non-compliant products included seaweed items such as mehijiki and mozuku, which were found to contain excessive levels of inorganic arsenic, a toxic heavy metal that poses potential health risks.

The TFDA has confirmed that all non-compliant shipments have been either returned to the origin or destroyed, reinforcing its commitment to safeguard public health in Taiwan.