Exclusive
Egyptian court orders closure of news site Mada Masr and fines editor Lina Attalah, sparking international outcry Egyptian court orders closure of news site Mada Masr and fines editor Lina Attalah, sparking international outcry Indonesia’s Nuclear Deal with Russia is Fraught with Concerns Indonesia’s Nuclear Deal with Russia is Fraught with Concerns Amazon mining boss wanted by Brazil for sheltering Jair Bolsonaro’s spy chief has businesses, properties in Florida Amazon mining boss wanted by Brazil for sheltering Jair Bolsonaro’s spy chief has businesses, properties in Florida
Current Affairs

Will Taiwan’s food safety scandal wreck the DPP’s local election hopes?

Taiwan’s biggest food safety scandal in years has become a political liability for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), giving the opposition valuable ammunition ahead…

By Samantha Johnson / July 18, 2026
Taiwan’s biggest food safety scandal in years has become a political liability for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), giving the opposition valuable ammunition ahead of November’s local elections.

The latest controversy centres on soybean salad oil produced by Central Union Oil Corporation, which was found to contain excessive levels of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP).

The substance is classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

According to Taiwan’s food authorities, the Taichung-based manufacturer produced about 28,992 tonnes of soybean salad oil in 30 batches between April and June, supplying three of the island’s largest food companies – Fwusow Industry, Formosa Oilseed Processing and Taisun Enterprise.

The contamination was spotted by downstream food-maker Namchow Group, which detected abnormal BaP levels during routine testing on May 13. Central Union was informed on June 11 but did not notify regulators until June 30.

This isn’t Taiwan’s first contaminated edible oil scandal. In 2014, hundreds of tons of recycled waste and animal feed oil were illegally processed and sold. Photo: The Taichung City Food Safety Department
This isn’t Taiwan’s first contaminated edible oil scandal. In 2014, hundreds of tons of recycled waste and animal feed oil were illegally processed and sold. Photo: The Taichung City Food Safety Department

The government waited till July 3 to officially announce the problem and recall measures.

Don't Miss: