Consumer Foundation Tests Children's Probiotics: 3 Samples Show Trace Plasticizers, Below Standards

The Consumer Foundation today announced its investigation into commercially available children's probiotics. In the plasticizer test, 3 out of 15 samples detected trace amounts of plasticizers, but all were far below the indicator value set by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, meeting safety standards. The foundation stated that probiotics are considered an indispensable 'health protective net' for children's growth in Taiwan's current parenting environment. The samples were purchased in January from chain pharmacies, general merchandise stores, and online e-commerce platforms in Taipei and New Taipei City, totaling 15 items. 13 were from Taiwan, and 1 each from the United States and Japan. The phthalate plasticizer (9 items) content test was conducted by Eurofins Food Testing Taiwan Co., Ltd. according to the 'Guidelines for Reducing Plasticizer Content in Food for Enterprises'. According to the Consumer Foundation's survey results, 12 samples did not detect plasticizers. The other 3 samples ('Huo Pei Duo Children's Probiotics', 'Children ProBio-14 Probiotic Oral Tablets', and 'sinbiotik Children's Probiotics') detected trace amounts of DEHP, ranging from 0.06 to 0.08ppm. These values are far below the 1ppm monitoring indicator value for probiotic powder set by the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration, meaning all 15 samples comply with safety standards. The foundation stated that although all test results comply with regulations and current guidelines have established monitoring values, it is still difficult to completely eliminate the risk of trace plasticizers permeating from manufacturing processes and packaging materials. They hope this will urge manufacturers and competent authorities to pay attention to the special safety of children's health products. The foundation recommends that competent authorities continuously expand the frequency of random inspections for 'children's food' and 'high-frequency health products' to monitor fluctuations in background contamination values. In addition to terminal food testing, food processing plants should be guided to investigate 'unintentionally added' sources such as plastic pipelines and bottle cap gaskets on production lines, to reduce contamination risks from the source. Furthermore, the foundation advises manufacturers to require raw material suppliers to provide plasticizer test reports and test results for 'flavorings' and 'fillers'. They should also review production equipment (such as plastic conveying pipes, mixing tank seals) and consider replacing them with food-grade stainless steel or plasticizer-free silicone materials to reduce leaching and migration risks. The foundation also advises consumers that children with low immune function or special constitutions should consult a doctor before consuming probiotics. They also warn against hidden 'laxative' ingredients (such as Magnesium Oxide, Aloin, Sennosides, Cassia seed extract) and their safety.