With regard to the case of Chien Hsin Enterprise’s illegal use of dimethyl yellow, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and various city and county health bureaus continue to trace the distribution of downstream products and de-shelving conditions. According to the investigatory results reported by the various city and country health bureaus (ending at 10 a.m. on 20 December, 2014), 604 staff members were dispatched to investigate 1521 sites, including 391 vendors/distributors, 995 malls/supermarkets/convenience stores, 120 food manufacturers/processors, and 15 night market vendors. All products containing dimethyl yellow have been de-shelved, recovering goods weighing 41,915.23 kg. 

Based on Subparagraph 10, Paragraph 1, Article 15 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation revised by presidential decree, products that contain food additives that are not approved by central competent authorities shall not be manufactured, sold, or publicly displayed. Failure to comply with this regulation shall be fined between NT$60,000 and NT$200 million according to Article 44 of the same Act, and face imprisonment of not more than seven years with a fine of not more than NT$80 million according to Article 49 of the same Act. 

The FDA once again urges soybean product manufacturers who use emulsifying agents (defoaming agents) to discontinue their usage if they are using ‘Chien Hsin soybean product emulsifier’, return the agents to their original vendors, and apply for recovery and de-shelving operations before midnight on 20 December, 2014. Penalties shall be imposed if products with illegal food additives are discovered or if defective products are displayed.