Kaohsiung food ingredient supplier suspected of altering origin labels; Education Bureau: Can be fined
Dafa Food Ingredients in Kaohsiung is under investigation for allegedly selling sesame and mushrooms from China and Vietnam falsely labeled as Taiwanese to schools and restaurants. The Education Bureau stated that contract breaches could result in fines or termination.
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- 📰 Published: April 20, 2026 at 12:21
- 🔍 Collected: April 20, 2026 at 12:31 (9 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 12:58 (27 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA reporter Tsai Meng-yu, Kaohsiung, 20th) Dafa Food Ingredients, which supplies multiple restaurants and schools in Kaohsiung City, is under investigation by prosecutors and investigators for allegedly altering the origin labels of products such as mushrooms. The Kaohsiung City Education Bureau stated today that if a breach of contract occurs, the supplier can be subjected to payment deductions, fines, or contract termination.
The Kaohsiung City Education Bureau issued a message today stating that the competent authority for regulations related to packaged food labeling is the health authority. Schools handle inspections based on the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. Furthermore, based on the principle of non-disclosure of investigations, the Education Bureau will fully cooperate with the investigative units. The Kaohsiung City Department of Health stated that they are cooperating under the direction of the prosecutors and it is inconvenient to explain further.
The Education Bureau stated that the procurement of lunch ingredients by schools is inspected in accordance with relevant regulations such as the Kaohsiung City School Lunch Work Manual. If there is a breach of contract, it will be handled according to the lunch contract regulations, with the maximum penalty being a fine and contract termination.
The Education Bureau explained that schools conduct inspections based on the ingredient inspection standards in the Education Bureau's "Kaohsiung City Lunch Work Manual," verifying the delivery notes, inspection passing certificates, or the "Three Labels and One Q" mark provided by the supplier. If the supplier violates the norms, payment deductions, fines, or contract termination should be imposed according to the contract.
Media reports indicated that in November last year, Dafa Food Ingredients allegedly sold "sesame" and "mushrooms" to multiple restaurants and schools in Kaohsiung City. It was later discovered that the packaging of the sold sesame and mushroom products indicated the origin as Taiwan, but they were suspected to be from China and Vietnam.
The Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office explained that in late 2025 (Note: Original text says 114th year of the ROC, which is 2025, but context implies recent past), they received a report from the Kaohsiung City Department of Health that a business had purchased foreign food and repackaged it themselves, suspected of falsely claiming the origin as Taiwan, involving offenses such as violations of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation and fraud. The person in charge was recently summoned and was ordered by the prosecutor to post bail of NT$50,000.
Dafa Food Ingredients issued a statement today explaining that based on their understanding of the administrative system and guidance, the company misunderstood the definition of "repackaging manufacturer" in the regulations. The company absolutely has no intention to defraud, nor did it obtain illicit gains due to the label adjustments. They have comprehensively reviewed and improved the legality of the company's administrative workflows, procedures, and norms to ensure precise labeling. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150420
(CNA reporter Tsai Meng-yu, Kaohsiung, 20th) Dafa Food Ingredients, which supplies multiple restaurants and schools in Kaohsiung City, is under investigation by prosecutors and investigators for allegedly altering the origin labels of products such as mushrooms. The Kaohsiung City Education Bureau stated today that if a breach of contract occurs, the supplier can be subjected to payment deductions, fines, or contract termination.
The Kaohsiung City Education Bureau issued a message today stating that the competent authority for regulations related to packaged food labeling is the health authority. Schools handle inspections based on the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. Furthermore, based on the principle of non-disclosure of investigations, the Education Bureau will fully cooperate with the investigative units. The Kaohsiung City Department of Health stated that they are cooperating under the direction of the prosecutors and it is inconvenient to explain further.
The Education Bureau stated that the procurement of lunch ingredients by schools is inspected in accordance with relevant regulations such as the Kaohsiung City School Lunch Work Manual. If there is a breach of contract, it will be handled according to the lunch contract regulations, with the maximum penalty being a fine and contract termination.
The Education Bureau explained that schools conduct inspections based on the ingredient inspection standards in the Education Bureau's "Kaohsiung City Lunch Work Manual," verifying the delivery notes, inspection passing certificates, or the "Three Labels and One Q" mark provided by the supplier. If the supplier violates the norms, payment deductions, fines, or contract termination should be imposed according to the contract.
Media reports indicated that in November last year, Dafa Food Ingredients allegedly sold "sesame" and "mushrooms" to multiple restaurants and schools in Kaohsiung City. It was later discovered that the packaging of the sold sesame and mushroom products indicated the origin as Taiwan, but they were suspected to be from China and Vietnam.
The Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office explained that in late 2025 (Note: Original text says 114th year of the ROC, which is 2025, but context implies recent past), they received a report from the Kaohsiung City Department of Health that a business had purchased foreign food and repackaged it themselves, suspected of falsely claiming the origin as Taiwan, involving offenses such as violations of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation and fraud. The person in charge was recently summoned and was ordered by the prosecutor to post bail of NT$50,000.
Dafa Food Ingredients issued a statement today explaining that based on their understanding of the administrative system and guidance, the company misunderstood the definition of "repackaging manufacturer" in the regulations. The company absolutely has no intention to defraud, nor did it obtain illicit gains due to the label adjustments. They have comprehensively reviewed and improved the legality of the company's administrative workflows, procedures, and norms to ensure precise labeling. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150420