Health and Science

Tests find carcinogen in Great Day oil

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-09-30
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Tests found excessive levels of the carcinogen benzene in cooking oil of the Great Day brand, the Consumers Foundation said Friday, though the Food and Drugs Administration said the levels were below the legal limit.

Over the past year, several laboratories performed tests on over a hundred cooking oil products from ten major brands, and the Great Day products came out as bearing the highest risk level, leading to the Consumers Foundation conducting more tests beginning last May, the group said.

At least three types of oil under the Great Day brand contained benzene levels over Taiwan’s legal maximum of 5 parts per billion, the foundation said. The European Union has the toughest limit of 1 ppb, Taiwan’s maximum is the same as that set by the United States, while the World Health Organization says up to 10 ppb of benzene is allowed in drinking water, according to the foundation.

However, the FDA denied that the levels found in the products had exceeded any legal limits. The manufacturer of Great Day cooking oil, Standard Foods, denied that its products were harmful, explaining that benzene occurred naturally in the environment, in water, air and even mother’s milk, a spokesperson said. The company added it did not exclude the possibility of legal action. [FULL STORY]

Food firms busted over expired produce

The China Post
Date: September 15, 2016
By: Sun Hsin Hsuan

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Officials seized over 50,000 kilograms of expired produce after raiding two

A batch of expired frozen squids is seen at in a Kaohsiung-based food supplier's cold storage facility on Wednesday, Sept. 14. More than 50,000 kilograms of expired food, including 11-year-old shrimp, were confiscated by the police in Kaohsiung in an attempt to crack down on illegal food-related activities. (CNA)

A batch of expired frozen squids is seen in a Kaohsiung-based food supplier’s cold storage facility on Wednesday, Sept. 14. More than 50,000 kilograms of expired food, including 11-year-old shrimp, were confiscated by the police in Kaohsiung in an attempt to crack down on illegal food-related activities. (CNA)

Kaohsiung food suppliers on Wednesday.

The haul, which included several boxes of 11-year-old frozen shrimp, was held by the two companies with the intent of selling it to restaurants.

A day ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival weekend, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — in a joint operation with the Kaohsiung City Government’s Health Department and the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors’ Office — raided the two food suppliers.

The owner of both firms later admitted to selling out-of-date food with fake expiry-date labels.

The FDA’s team uncovered the expired and unlabeled frozen food at cold storage facilities owned by Bai Xian Wu Enterprise Co. Ltd. (百鮮屋股份有限公司) and rented by Yen Jing International Pty Ltd’s (源進國際有限公司).

According to the FDA, the two companies are affiliates run by Wu Wei-chi (吳韋琦).

Wu admitted wrongdoing and was released on bail Wednesday. [FULL STORY]

New blood test in Taiwan can detect Zika in 9 mins, and cheap

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-09-12
By: Sophia Yang,Taiwan News, Staff Writer

A Taiwanese research team has developed a new blood-testing method which can tell whether or not the test receiver has contracted the Zika virus in as fast as 9 minutes and with only a single drop of blood. The finding was recently awarded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with a US$1 million grant, or NT$31.42 million. The team is reportedly applying for approval to market in the EU and Taiwan. Commercial production is slated for 2017.

Given the likelihood of a massive Zika virus outbreak and mounting fears of the virus that can cause birth defects and brain damage, protecting the blood supply has become a priority. At such a challenging and precarious time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently advised that all blood centers to begin screening for Zika. To tap into a surging demand for a simple, quick, and cheap screening solution to save more lives, the Taiwanese team, which has collaborated with Danish scientists for years, leads the way to a screening revolution.

To stop the Zika outbreak, USAID launched a campaign to select nearly two dozen projects among 900 which are believed to be able to rid the world of Zika and other mosquitoes-related diseases. Researchers of the winning projects can receive an USAID grant to pursue new solution to the Zika outbreak. [FULL STORY]

New Taiwanese technology makes injections painless

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-09-02
By: Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Scared of needles? A new technology developed by Taiwanese scientists would give a painless injection by applying a thin layer of metallic glass onto the needles to minimize pressure from friction and sheer force. The finding has recently been published in the international journal Scientific Reports.

Dr. Liao Ching-Jong, President of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, said that Scientific Reports is a highly authoritative journal with an impact factor exceeding five, meaning that its published studies are recognized by most institutes of high learning and experts worldwide. Liao is hoping that the publication will make the new technology known by more institutions and eventually commercialize the new technology through collaboration with medical companies.

Chief researcher Chu Chin explained that when a needle is passing through the skin into the muscle, the sheer force coming after the friction will cause the feeling of pain. According to the team, the application of the metallic glass can not only significantly ease the pain of the injection recipients but also strengthen the needle itself. [FULL STORY]

Woman goes blind playing Pokemon Go

The Standard
Date: August 29, 2013
By: Amy Nip

A pregnant woman suffered from a bout of temporary blindness after playing Pokemon Go for several

A girl playing Pokemon Go tries to catch a “Pidgey” on her mobile phone in a shopping mall in Bangkok on August 9, 2016.
Pokemon Go’s debut in Thailand has alarmed the country’s generals, prompting the kingdom’s junta chief to warn youngsters against playing too much and the army to ban the game from barracks. The mobile app was made available in Thailand on August 6, delighting many in a country where Japanese subcultures have a significant following.
/ AFP PHOTO / LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA

hours, according to a Taiwan hospital eye specialist.

The 31-year-old woman, who suffered from macular degeneration, temporarily lost the sight in her right eye, New Taipei City Hospital ophthalmologist Chen Yu-an told the media in Taiwan.

Those diagnosed with macular degeneration would normally receive injections to inhibit blood-vessel growth, but the woman refused such treatment as she feared it would affect her baby. Instead, she opted for oral drugs and had to stay at home.

The doctor also treated a 40-year- old engineer, who suffered from a inflamation of the iris after playing the popular game.

College of Ophthalmologists of Hong Kong president Chow Pak-chin said eye patients should not play mobile phone games. Others should refrain from playing for excessive periods of time, and to rest their eyes at regular intervals.

There is no solid evidence to suggest that playing mobile games leads to eye diseases, but it is a common consensus that excessive playing could have a negative impact, he said. [FULL STORY]

6th Taiwan imported Zika case after Miami trip confirmed

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-08-18
By: Sophia Yang, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

Another imported Zika case has been confirmed in less than a week in Taiwan. The

(photo courtesy of wikicommons)

island country’s Centers for Disease Control announced Wednesday that a 44-year-old woman, a New Taipei City resident, had visited Broward and Miami-Dade Counties of Florida on a business trip from July 31 to August 11, 2016. The case was also known as the first Zika case globally exported from Miami.

According to Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the woman sought medical attention after developing a rash on her legs and abdomen, accompanied by finger pain, a day after returning home on August 12. A CDC official suspected that the woman had been infected while on a trip in the U.S.

Both counties have been listed as “Alert,” the second highest in the country’s three-tier travel advisory system implemented by the CDC, meaning travelers to these areas should strengthen pandemic preparedness. [FULL STORY]

Taiwan Pledges to be Hepatitis-Free by 2030

Every year, 13,000 Taiwanese die from liver-related health problems, the majority of them caused by Hepatitis C infection. About 600,000 Taiwanese have Hepatitis C.

The News Lens
Date: 2016/07/28, Health
By: ZiQing Low

Taiwanese NGOs, including the Foundation for Advancing Treatment of Clinical Liver

Photo Credit: AP/達志影像

Disease (ACTLD), have joined the World Hepatitis Alliance in an effort to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.

World Hepatitis Day is celebrated every year on July 28, and is one of only four official disease-specific world health days. This year’s theme is NOhep. It follows the World Health Assembly in May, where World Health Organization (WHO) member states set goals to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat for the first time.

The ACTLD is starting small by focusing on Hepatitis C, and working with the Kinmen County Government to implement the “Kinmen Hepatitis C elimination project.”

Tung-Hung Su (蘇東弘), an attending physician at National Taiwan University Hospital, said Kinmen was a good place to start elimination efforts, as the island only has between 50 and 100 patients and has good basic infrastructure already in place. New medication for Hepatitis C is also available. [FULL STORY]

Taiwan reports first indigenous dengue fever case of summer

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/06/28
By: Chen Wei-ting and Christie Chen

Taipei, June 28 (CNA) A woman in the southern city of Pingtung became the first reported

CNA file photo

indigenous dengue fever case in Taiwan this summer when she was confirmed Tuesday to have the disease.

The 58-year-old woman sought medical treatment June 24, after she experienced symptoms that included fever, headache and thirst, Chou Jih-haw (周志浩), deputy director-general of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), said Tuesday.

The woman was hospitalized again June 26, when the hospital reported her as a suspected case of dengue fever. She was later confirmed to have the mosquito-borne disease and is now recovering at home, Chou said.

The woman had never been infected with the disease before, and she had no chronic health conditions, according to the CDC. [FULL STORY]

541 people treated for heat injury since May

Taiwan News
Date: 2016-06-16
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

With high temperatures continuing to shatter records, a total of 541 people have been treated for heat injury from May to June 15, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) said, citing statistics.

May and June temperatures in Taiwan have shifted towards the high side, with a 38.7 degrees Celsius temperature in Taipei on June 1 shattering a century-long record.

The MOHW said that the number of people treated for heat injury grew 75 percent compared to the same month last year, and the Tri-Service General Hospital alone has admitted three patients suffering from heat stroke during road running.

Pauling Chu, head of the Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Heat Stroke at Tri-Services General Hospital, said that the hospital admitted the first patient with heat stroke on May 6 this year, which is earlier than past years, and since May the number of patients the hospital has treated for heat stroke has reached five, which topped the same period in past years. [FULL STORY]

Taiwan’s CDC raises travel notice level for Tianjin, China

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/06/15
By: Chang Ming-hsuan and Romulo Huang

Taipei, June 15 (CNA) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) decided Wednesday to raise its travel alert for Tianjin in northern China to level 2 “Alert,” warning travelers planning to visit the coastal metropolis to take enhanced precautions against avian flu.

The CDC said it had informed the Mainland Affairs Council, the Cabinet-level agency responsible for handling affairs related to China, of the increased alert.

Under the 3-tier travel advisory system used by the CDC, the level 2 “Alert” urges travelers planning to visit affected areas to heighten their vigilance against bird flu, practice good personal hygiene, avoid contact with poultry and birds and visiting live poultry markets, and consume only thoroughly cooked poultry and eggs in order to avoid infection.

The other two levels are the level 1 “Watch,” which urges travelers planning to visit affected areas to take usual precautions, and the level 3 “Warning,” which warns against non-essential travel. [FULL STORY]

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