Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says at least 473 Taiwanese companies have used questionable lard-based oil made with recycled kitchen waste.
The FDA made the announcement on Saturday. It also said all the remaining oil has been siezed.
An investigation found that Kaohsiung-based Chang Guann Co. supplied more than 50,000 18-liter cans of its cooking oil to companies across Taiwan. The affected companies include well-known ones such as Wei Chuan Foods Corp., which has already recalled 12 products.
According to Chang Guann, the oil was sourced between February and August by an individual named Kuo Lieh-cheng. Kuo allegedly worked with five others to use a phony waste processing company as a front to collect oils meant to be recycled for use other than human consumption.
Kuo was released on bail on Thursday, but on Saturday a court in Pingtung, southern Taiwan, ruled that he should be detained, after prosecutors found that Kuo took out all his savings from a bank account and is a flight risk.