The Consumers’ Foundation has released findings from its recent survey focusing on milk used by beverage shops and breakfast establishments. Among the 74 businesses surveyed, only eight openly disclosed the brands of milk they utilize in their products. Concerningly, three of these businesses, which marketed their products as containing fresh milk, were found to actually use whole milk concentrate that requires reconstitution with water.
Wu Jung-ta of the Consumers’ Foundation explained that the milk concentrate in question is imported frozen to Taiwan, where it is then reconstituted by adding water. He noted that while this process technically uses fresh milk, there are concerns about whether the added water might dilute the milk and impact its taste and consistency. The Foundation aims to clarify the implications of this practice.
The survey also revealed that over 90% of the businesses surveyed do not disclose the specific brands of milk they use. For example, Shisheng Milk Tea Factory claims to use milk sourced from Hokkaido but does not specify the brand. Similarly, Truedan states on its website that it uses milk from small-scale farmers for its black tea lattes, whereas it actually sources its milk from Kuang Chuan Dairy, a major supplier in Taiwan. Another instance highlighted was Hwa Da Milk Tea, which utilizes extended shelf life milk in its “Hong-long milk tea.”
This lack of transparency regarding milk sourcing raises concerns among consumers and underscores the need for clearer labeling practices within the industry.
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