410 MORE KG OUT OF DATE MEAT PRODUCTS FOUND|力勤過期肉市場流竄 再查扣410公斤

An expired meat scandal in Taichung continues to spread. 410 more kilograms of expired meat have been seized in other counties and cities. While the company in question has been fined another NT$6 million, civic groups say that Taichung City's response to the scandal has been too slow and too weak. The Health Bureau of Taichung City is investigating new evidence on Lichun Agricultural Company, which is alleged to have sold expired frozen meats. It has discovered more unmarked product in Taichung and 410 kilograms of expired products in other counties. ==CHEN SHU-FEN Senior Technical Specialist, Health Bureau, Taichung City== We tracked information on a delivery slip and packaging in the photos and videos provided by the whistleblower and requested the relevant local governments to investigate. The governments that reported back to us include Tainan City, Nantou County, and Taoyuan City. The investigation began on Apr 26 but was not publicly announced until May 6. The Health Bureau had said that no expired products reached the market, but now several hundred kilograms of expired meat has been discovered. The whistleblower has also expressed dissatisfaction at the investigation. ==MR. CHEN Whistleblower== I think they'd alerted the wrongdoers, given them a warning. They investigated meats stored in freezers at four separate rented locations. When you investigate them one by one like this, they'll know that they're being investigated and end up moving their stuff or just disappearing. Then what do you get? Civic groups said that the Health Bureau has dragged its heels both in investigating the case and informing the public, and that food safety has not been enough of a priority. ==CHANG MING-CHUN President, Homemakers Union Taichung Branch== (The Health Bureau) has been complete silent and very passive about the situation. We suspect they are hiding something that they wouldn't disclose. So now we have no way of knowing if we're eating meat from Lichin. Lichin has now been fined NT$12 million for its suspected involvement in storing and selling expired meats, and the case has been turned over to prosecutors. However, the public wants to know if any of its meats are still on store shelves. They hope that the Health Bureau will be open on food safety information as it had promised. Translated by JOHN CHEN 過期肉品問題持續發酵，台中市衛生局在其它縣市再查扣了410公斤過期肉品，雖然力勤農產公司又被加罰600萬元，不過距離檢舉人提供新事證已經又過了10天，不知道多少過期肉品被民眾吃下肚，長期關注食安的民間團體認為，台中市衛生局的螺絲鬆了。 台中市力勤農產公司涉嫌販售過期冷凍肉品，台中市衛生局根據檢舉人提出的新事證持續追查，除了在台中市又查獲無標示的產品，也在其它縣市查獲過期產品410公斤。 ==台中市衛生局簡任技正 陳淑芬== 我們是依照檢舉人他所提供的相片 影片 上面的一個出貨單跟外包上的 那我們移請相關的縣市去做一個稽查 直到昨天陸續回報回來的 就是包括台南市 南投縣 還有桃園市 不過台中市衛生局4月26日就稽查，拖到5月6日才對外說明，當時說已經沒有過期肉品流出市面，沒想到10天後又查到數百公斤過期肉品，查緝過程一拖再拖，連檢舉人也看不下去。 ==(聲音來源)檢舉人 陳先生== 我覺得你根本就是已經 先通風報信 去打草驚蛇了嘛 因為他當場查獲的是 他冰在4家的(冷)凍庫 那外面有租的凍庫 你這樣連續去稽查 別人就知道 啊人家在查了 我外面的(冷)凍庫或全部跑掉 你要怎麼抓 民間團體認為，台中市衛生局這次從稽查到公布結果動作都相當慢，過程也不夠透明，民眾的食安明顯被忽視。 == (聲音來源)主婦聯盟台中分會長 張明純 == （衛生局)他這次中間完全無聲無息 然後非常的消極被動 我們真的很懷疑 他是不是隱匿了什麼 不願意跟我們揭露 這以至於我們在外面 我們真的也不曉得 我們吃到的到底是不是力勤的肉品 力勤農產公司因為涉嫌存放、販賣過期肉品，已經累積開罰1200萬元，也將全案移請檢察官偵辦，不過因為力勤肉品大多流向北中南的市場零售，民眾想知道的是，到底還會不會買到過期肉品，「食安資訊公開」的口號，希望台中衛生局說到做到。 邱植培 彭煥群 台中報導