Food Alerts / Allergy Alerts - Dried bean curd from Taiwan suspected to contain colouring matter, Dimethyl yellow

Dried bean curd from Taiwan suspected to contain colouring matter, Dimethyl yellow

Issue Date	23.1.2015
Source of Information	Taiwanese authorities
Food Product	Pre-packed dried bean curd
Product Name and Description	Product name: 1. Beef Flavored Dried Beancurd 2. Stew Dried Beancurd 3. Black Pepper Dried Beancurd 4. Mushroom Dried Beancurd 5. Satay Sauce Dried Beancurd Manufacturer: Te Chang Foods Place of origin: Taiwan Manufacturing date: March 18, 2014; April 8, 2014; April 29, 2014; April 30, 2014; May 19, 2014; June 24, 2014; June 30, 2014; August 22, 2014; August 25, 2014; and November 11, 2014.
Reason For Issuing Alert	Following the CFS' recent detection of Dimethyl yellow in a dried bean curd sample originating from Taiwan, the Taiwanese authorities have been conducting follow-up investigations and informed the CFS early this month that seven kinds of bean curd containing the colouring matter in question have been exported to Hong Kong. The CFS has immediately instructed the importer concerned and the food trade to stop selling and initiate a recall of the products in question. Another notification from the Taiwanese authorities was received today that five other kinds of bean curd (10 batches in total) mentioned above were also found to contain Dimethyl yellow and had been exported to Hong Kong. Although there have been research results showing that Dimethyl yellow might cause cancer in experimental animals, no sufficient evidence has been found to confirm the health effects on humans from dietary intake of this colouring matter. However, for the sake of prudence, retailers should stop selling the affected products and return them to the supplier/importer concerned. Consumers should also avoid consuming the affected products.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety	The CFS has immediately contacted the importer, B&S Company, and instructed the company to stop selling and conduct a recall of the affected products. The CFS will alert the trade of the incident and suspend the import of the above-mentioned products. The CFS will continue to closely monitor the situation and the recall. Appropriate actions will be taken to safeguard food safety and public health.
Advice to the Trade	Stop selling the affected products and return them to the supplier/importer concerned.
Advice to Consumers	Avoid consuming the affected products.
Further Information	The CFS press release

Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
2015-1-23

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