Toxic Bubble Tea – Tapioca Pearl Tea – DEHP

There is currently a scare over toxic ingredients in Bubble tea or Tapioca pearl tea that originated in Taiwan and is now available throughout Asia and in many American Asian communities. The problem originated in Taiwan because chemical firms sold clouding agents and jams using plasticizers that were used by some firms serving this drink. It was also found in other foods including dietary supplements, energy drinks, juices and jellies. Possibly carcinogenic and reproductive problem producing chemicals DEHP and DOP were present in these tainted items. The fraud for one company started way back in 1996.

Passion fruit juice, mango juice and lychee juice produced by Possmei were on the DEHP contamination related recall list. The company also supplies bubble tea ingredients, causing the scare.

The emulsifier is usually not added when making tapioca balls- a main ingredient of bubble milk tea — making contamination unlikely they stated.

Bubble Tea Problems in the USA

Giant Union Co, a supplier of oriental foods and commodities in Los Angeles, said on Wednesday that it has stopped importing “popping boba,” a translucent gummy ball from Possmei that contains flavored juices and can be added to drinks.

The question is, did these tainted food items make it over to the United States?

A major San Francisco Bay Area vendor of bubble tea, Quickly, rapidly show test results showing that their product was not tainted. We examined the document that implies that there ingredients come from Taiwan. We purchased the Oreo snow with tapioca pearls after feeling comfortable with their testing. The key is to check with your local bubble tea store and make sure they have proof that they are clean. It is important to research food problems and understand the cause, before jumping to conclusions that all products in a given area are toxic.

Also check out our article: Save money, When Not to Buy Organic

Posted on June 15th, 2011
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