Chung Lien Oil Hit with Record NT$165M Fine Over Benzopyrene-Contaminated Carcinogenic Cooking Oil Scandal

In late June 2026, Taiwan Province of the Republic of China was rocked by a major food safety crisis after soybean salad oil produced by Chung Lien Oil Co., Ltd. was found to contain Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a Group 1 carcinogen, at levels of 8.1 μg/kg—far exceeding the national safety limit of 2.0 μg/kg. The contaminated batch, totaling approximately 1,300 metric tons, affected major consumer brands such as Taisun, Fwusow, and Fortune, impacting over 360 downstream food manufacturers province-wide. On June 28, the Ministry of Health and Welfare slapped Chung Lien Oil with a record NT$165.2 million fine for failing to report the contamination promptly, misrepresenting production volume, and attempting to conceal facts. Judicial authorities have launched a formal investigation as government agencies enforce the recall of hundreds of affected food products.