Vietnam food watchdog rejects link between local firm’s lard and Taiwan oil scandal

It has been alleged that Vietnam-based Dai Hanh Phuc Co has supplied 43,000 tons of lard oil to Ting Hsin Oil and Fat Industrial Co, and that the Taiwanese firm has reportedly used part of the lard to make cooking oil products.

But Tran Quang Trung, head of the Vietnam Food Administration, confirmed that Dai Hanh Phuc’s lard “is meant to be used as animal feed,” citing preliminary investigation results.

The Taipei Times newspaper reported on October 12 that Dai Hanh Phuc’s exports have been falsely labeled as “fit for human use” by Vinacontrol, a local inspection organization.

But Trung underlined that “the lard must be used as animal feed”, adding, however, that “we are not sure if the Taiwanese used it correctly.”

Trung said he is waiting for reports from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to respond to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hanoi regarding the issue.

The food safety chief said Vietnam does not import any oil or processed food products manufactured by firms involved in the Taiwan oil scandal.

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hanoi said in mid-September that 480 cardboard boxes of canned products made from the tainted oil had been imported to Vietnam.

But Trung said the information was misleading.

Ting Hsin Oil and Fat Industrial Co acting chairman and former general manager Chen Mao-chia, and two executives from Cheng I Food Co, have been detained by Taiwanese authorities over an apparent crackdown on the ongoing cooking oil scandals there, the Taipei Times reported on October 16.

The companies, both units of food conglomerate Ting Hsin International Group, are accused of using lard meant for animal feed in their cooking oil products, the newspaper said.

The oil scandal has ignited widespread outrage among consumers in Taiwan, leading to a campaign to boycott the group’s products and brands, according to Taipei Times.