In today’s modern society, the consumption of fast-food is constantly increasing. The number of commuters using public transportation is also on the rise. In light of this, the Miaoli County Government attaches importance to food safety issues for fast-food junkies and commuters, and has therefore launched the “2023 Inspection Project”. This project focuses on food business vendors operating in and around public transport sites and aims to supervise and guide them to implement good food hygiene standards and improve their self-management ability. After all, it’s just as important to control food safety as it is to provide a convenient and comfortable dining environment and delicious meals.
The Miaoli County Public Health Bureau visited five public transport sites including HSR Miaoli Station, Miaoli Train Station, Houlong Train Station, Tongxiao Train Station, and Toufen Passenger Station to inspect the six food business operators located around the sites. Items for inspection included food business licenses, product liability insurance, documents related to the source of the raw materials used in the products sold, the legality of these raw materials used and their expiry dates, the standard form contract of merchandise gift vouchers, the regulations for good food hygiene practices, and food labeling on the food and beverages sold. The Miaoli County Public Health Bureau randomly inspected five finished rice and noodle products, three homemade drinks, two semi-finished noodle products, and one soy food product. A total of 11 items were inspected for their hygiene, preservatives, and hydrogen peroxide, according to the food attributes. Among these, the “five spice dried bean curd” was found to have preservative levels that exceeded the standard. Since the shelf-life of the product batch was short and there was no more stock on the shelves, the case was transferred to the Health Bureau as the manufacturer is under their jurisdiction and will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Zhang Rui-xian, Director of the Miaoli County Public Health Bureau, stated that the preservative that was found to exceed the standard was “benzoic acid”, a commonly used food preservative. When adding it to food, the growth of microorganisms can be suppressed to extend the shelf life of food. Benzoic acid is water-soluble, therefore, drinking a moderate amount of water can help metabolize it in order for it to be excreted from the body. However, excessive consumption may cause symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach aches, and increased heart rate. The Miaoli County Public Health Bureau also stated further that dried bean curd and tofu products are highly water-active and will spoil easily at room temperature, so they should be stored below 7°C in a fridge, and follow the “first in, first out” principle to ensure their freshness and safety.