The carcinogenic oil storm of Zoomlion Oil and Fat has spread, and excessive amounts of benzene and pyrene have attracted national attention. In August this year, the Central Inspection and Quarantine Bureau indicted four companies including Zoomlion, Fushou, Fumao Oil, and Taishan, as well as 15 natural persons including Zoomlion Oil and Fat Chairman Cai Qingsong, General Manager Yu Lingchong, and Factory Director Chen Mingrong, on suspicion of violating food safety laws, fraud, and other crimes. , a total of 19 defendants were asked to be sentenced to heavy punishment. The Taichung District Court held its first hearing today. Cai Qingsong, Yu Lingchong, Chen Mingrong and others all denied the crime of intentionally manufacturing carcinogenic oil. Yu Lingchong only pleaded guilty to not taking it off the shelves and publishing falsehoods, and said, "I was detained for self-reporting. Who dares to report on their own in the future?"
The Zoomlion Oils and Fats case opened today. When explaining the gist of the prosecution, the prosecutor said that Zoomlion Oils and Fats Co., Ltd. is composed of three companies: Fushou, Taishan, and Fumao Oil. It is the foundry of the three companies. As early as 2023, Zoomlion Oils and Fats knew that soybeans imported from Brazil had high moisture content in the raw materials and had not been dried. Cheng Yi derived the carcinogen benzene pyrene, but did not increase inspection and control measures in the manufacturing process. Instead, it relaxed the control standard for soybean "heat-damaged grains" by 10 times, from 0.5% to 5%. After it was found that the oil product benzene pyrene exceeded the standard, it blocked the label and delayed notification, leading to this food safety crisis.
In addition, China United Company knew in May this year that benzene pyrene, a semi-finished degummed oil produced in the salad oil production process, had abnormal tests, but did not take measures such as checking and improving the production process. It also did not proactively notify the competent authorities and handle recycling in accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety Law. It did not report until June 30.
Yu Lingchong, the general manager of China United Company who is still in custody, said in court that no inspection exceeding the standard had occurred since he took over as general manager last year. On June 11 this year, he received a notification from Nanqiao Company that benzene and pyrene exceeded the standard and immediately sent it for inspection. He emphasized that independent reporting should be encouraged. However, he has been detained ever since he reported the matter. "No one will report on his own initiative in the future." He pleaded not guilty to the crime of intentionally manufacturing food containing substances harmful to human health; but he pleaded guilty to the crime of not removing it from the shelves and publishing false and accurate documents in the exercise of business.
Cai Qingsong, chairman of China United Company, has not pleaded guilty to the prosecution, but is sorry for causing social disturbance. He emphasized that the processing process may not be perfect, but no one in the company wanted this to happen. He emphasized that Brazilian beans have been used for many years, but there have been no problems in inspections over the years. I wonder why benzopyrene exceeded the standard this year? He did not ignore it, and said that after Taiwan Sugar reported a problem with the degummed oil, it sold the entire barrel to make feed oil, proving that as long as it knew there was a little risk, it would prevent oil products from entering the market.
Cai Qingsong also said that Zhonglian is just a processing plant, and the profit is the same regardless of whether it is Brazilian beans or American beans. Even the cost of using Brazilian beans is higher. It is only used due to seasonal production. He emphasized that Nanqiao Company will send it for inspection after reporting any problems, and report it when it is confirmed to have occurred. He admitted that he did not have the experience to deal with this kind of situation for the first time, but denied "delayed reporting".
Others who appeared in court including Zoomlion Oil Factory Director Chen Mingrong, Fushou Company Chairman Hong Yaokun, Fumao Company General Manager Zhang Zhibin, Taishan Company Chairman Liu Weilong, former general manager Shen Yijun, and current general manager Cai Guoliang also all pleaded not guilty.
