Bongkrekic acid confirmed at Polam Kopitiam, probe continues

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare, Wang Pi-sheng, announced Sunday (April 7) that no Burkholderia gladioli bacteria, which causes bongkrekic acid, were found in the fruit knife, vegetable knife, chopping board, or chef's hand samples from the Polam Kopitiam's Xinyi A13 branch.

The food poisoning case at Polam Kopitiam is still under investigation. Previously, bongkrekic acid was detected in the hand and fecal samples of a Vietnamese chef.

Wang pointed out that Burkholderia gladioli bacteria are difficult to cultivate and are still considered rare in Taiwan and speculated that the detection of bongkrekic acid in the chef's fecal sample could be due to two scenarios: the chef handled or came into contact with contaminated food but did not consume it or only ingested a very small amount.

In another instance, the chef's hand could have been contaminated with bongkrekic acid, which then contaminated the fecal sample during collection, Wang explained.

The deputy minister confirmed that the evidence of bongkrekic acid found at Polam Kopitiam's Xinyi A13 branch is conclusive. The responsibility can still be determined, but further investigation is needed.