Taiwan faces food poisoning crisis: investigation ongoing

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In response to the recent food poisoning outbreak, Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan said Thursday (March 28) that preliminary expert discussions suggest the cause is endogenous toxins. However, deliberate poisoning has not been ruled out, and an investigation is underway.

The food safety crisis at the Malaysian restaurant Polam Kopitiam has escalated. As of Thursday, 14 people have fallen ill after dining there, with two fatalities. Hsueh revealed that another case was reported late Wednesday night, involving a patient from Tainan.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare has convened experts, scholars, and physicians caring for the patients to discuss the situation. The initial consensus points to endogenous toxins as the likely cause, but the possibility of intentional poisoning remains, and the investigation continues.

Experts believe there are three main categories of food poisoning: microbes, endogenous toxins, and added toxins. The current situation does not appear to be microbial, suggesting the latter two possibilities.

If it is an endogenous toxin, the most likely culprit is Bongkrekic Acid. However, Taiwan has never experienced such an incident before, and standard samples are currently being ordered from abroad for testing.

Following a food poisoning report, immediate on-site testing is required due to the high likelihood of microbial involvement. However, the symptoms in this case, ranging from vomiting to liver and kidney failure, occurred within 12 hours, which is unusual. The exact cause of the poisoning is still under investigation, and the public is advised to be cautious with non-freshly cooked rice and noodle dishes in the short term.

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