TAIPEI, May 18 -- The producer of a shrimp snack popular in Taiwan was caught using expired ingredients, Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in a press release Thursday.
During an inspection Wednesday, investigators from the FDA, local health authorities, as well as local prosecutors in southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung found expired bonito extract powder, anhydrous citric acid as well as red yeast rice powder were used in five products produced by Yu Zong Foods.
Four of the products were sold under the brand name Hsia Wei Hsien, a popular shrimp snack brand on the island.
The other product was sprouted soybean powder, which included expired red yeast rice powder.
A total of 2.37 tonnes of expired raw materials and products believed to contain expired ingredients were seized, and an order was given to remove all five products from the shelves by Friday midnight.
Further investigation is under way.
According to local food safety regulations, those who produce, pack, store or sell expired food products are subject to a fine between 60,000 and 200 million new taiwan dollars (1,900 to 66,200 U.S. dollars).
