Taiwan charges 15 over tainted cooking oil scandal

Taiwanese prosecutors charged 15 people and four companies on Tuesday over contaminated cooking oil after food authorities found excessive levels of a cancer-causing substance in a batch made by Central Union Oil Corp.

More than 2,800 tonnes of oil have been pulled from shelves since Taiwan's food regulator announced in early July that a batch contained excessive levels of benzo(a)pyrene, a hydrocarbon.

Prosecutors in Taichung, where Central Union is based, accuse the company of delaying its report to authorities and failing to issue a prompt recall as required by food safety laws.

They also accuse three companies that co-founded Central Union in 1995 of knowingly using the contaminated oil and selling it to consumers after repackaging or reblending it.

The four companies were charged along with six executives and nine employees. Prosecutors are seeking prison terms of up to 14 years and fines of up to NT$160 million, or about $5 million, under food safety regulations.

The scandal has prompted political uproar in Taiwan, with opposition parties and President Lai Ching-te's government trading blame. Thousands of people attended an opposition rally over the controversy, where some called for the premier and health minister to resign. Both refused.