Major Taiwanese Food Companies That Still Test on Animals

The following major Taiwan-based companies have conducted or funded hideous and worthless experiments on more than 8,000 animals—all to make dubious health claims for marketing food and beverage products, such as green tea, tomato juice, and mushrooms.

1. Taiwan Sugar Corp.

This company, owned by the Taiwanese government, conducted or funded at least nine animal experiments from 2007 to 2014 that involved mutilating and killing at least 444 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing clam essence, malt, caterpillar fungus, and other products and ingredients to consumers.

Experimenters repeatedly force-fed rats oligofructose and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters repeatedly force-fed mice caterpillar fungus, repeatedly injected them with allergens that caused extremely painful allergic reactions, and repeatedly took their blood, then broke their necks to kill them and dissected them.
Experimenters repeatedly force-fed rats clam essence, starved them for up to 24 hours, and dropped them into beakers filled with water to observe how long they struggled before they drowned or remained underwater for eight consecutive seconds. If the animals learned to float and conserve energy, experimenters would stir the water to force them to struggle. To speed up the drowning process, experimenters tied lead wires to mice in order to make it harder for them to swim.
Experimenters repeatedly force-fed rats carbon tetrachloride to induce liver damage, repeatedly force-fed them clam essence, took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters fed malt to mice who were genetically diabetic and then repeatedly starved them and took their blood.
Experimenters cut out rats’ ovaries to induce osteoporosis, repeatedly force-fed them oligofructose and calcium, injected them with chemicals, took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.

2. GenMont Biotech, Inc.

Known for its probiotic products in Taiwan, this company conducted or funded at least seven animal experiments from 2008 to 2018 that involved mutilating and killing at least 378 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing probiotics and other products and ingredients to consumers.

Experimenters repeatedly force-fed mice probiotics, repeatedly injected them with allergens that caused extremely painful allergic reactions, and repeatedly took their blood, then broke their necks to kill them and dissected them.
Experimenters repeatedly force-fed rats probiotics and took their blood, then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters injected rats with a chemical to induce diabetes, fed them a high-fat and high-sugar diet, and repeatedly force-fed them probiotics, then repeatedly starved them and took their blood.
Experimenters fed rats a high-calorie diet to induce obesity, repeatedly force-fed them probiotics, took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters fed hamsters a high-cholesterol diet to induce hyperlipidemia, repeatedly force-fed them probiotics, starved them for at least 12 hours, and repeatedly took their blood.
Experimenters cut out rats’ ovaries to induce osteoporosis, repeatedly force-fed them probiotics, injected them with chemicals, took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.

3. Wei Chuan Foods Corp.

This company—which is the first Taiwanese food brand with a stock listing —conducted or funded at least six animal experiments from 2000 to 2015 that involved mutilating and killing at least 413 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing soy milk, probiotics, red yeast, and other products and ingredients to consumers.

Experimenters repeatedly force-fed rats probiotics and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters fed hamsters a high-cholesterol diet to induce hyperlipidemia, fed them soy milk, starved them for at least 12 hours, repeatedly took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.

4. Sinphar Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

This well-known pharmaceutical company in Taiwan was recently flagged by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration for quality issues. It conducted and/or funded at least six animal experiments from 2007 to 2018 that involved mutilating and killing at least 303 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing soy protein, poria mushrooms, malt, and other products and ingredients to consumers.

Experimenters repeatedly force-fed mice poria mushrooms, repeatedly injected them with allergens that caused extremely painful allergic reactions, and repeatedly took their blood, then broke their necks to kill them and dissected them.
Experimenters forced mice to inhale allergens to induce asthma and respiratory inflammation, repeatedly force-fed them poria mushrooms, repeatedly injected them with allergens that caused extremely painful allergic reactions, and repeatedly took their blood, then broke their necks to kill them and dissected them.
Experimenters fed malt to mice who were genetically diabetic, then repeatedly starved them and took their blood.
Experimenters fed hamsters a high-cholesterol diet to induce hyperlipidemia, fed them soy protein, starved them for at least 12 hours, and repeatedly took their blood.
Experimenters injected rats with a drug to induce Alzheimer’s disease, fed them a common Chinese herbal medicine, made them perform a series of stress-inducing behavioral tests such as forcing them to swim, repeatedly electroshocked them, and took their blood, then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters repeatedly force-fed mice a common Chinese herbal medicine, starved them for up to 24 hours, and dropped them into beakers filled with water to observe how long they struggled before they drowned or remained underwater for eight consecutive seconds. If the animals learned to float and conserve energy, experimenters would stir the water to force them to struggle. To speed up the drowning process, experimenters tied lead wires to the animals in order to make it harder for them to swim.

5. Stolle International Co., Ltd.

The company—which, in Taiwan, partners with U.S.-based Stolle Milk Biologics, Inc.—conducted or funded at least five animal experiments from 2000 to 2008 that involved mutilating and killing at least 361 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing milk powder and other products and ingredients to consumers.

Experimenters who were genetically hyperlipidemic, starved them for at least 12 hours, repeatedly took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters fed mice milk powder, exposed them to a lethal dose of X-ray, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters fed milk powder to mice who were born with an autoimmune disease and then repeatedly took their blood.
Experimenters fed rats milk powder and repeatedly force-fed mice milk powder, took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters forced mice to inhale allergens to induce asthma and respiratory inflammation, repeatedly force-fed them milk powder, took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.

6. Kuang Chuan Dairy Co., Ltd.

Known for its milk products in Taiwan, this company conducted or funded at least five animal experiments from 2009 to 2018 that involved mutilating and killing at least 306 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing yogurt drinks, soy milk, buckwheat tea, and other products and ingredients to consumers.

Experimenters repeatedly force-fed mice a yogurt drink, repeatedly injected them with allergens that caused extremely painful allergic reactions, and repeatedly took their blood, then broke their necks to kill them and dissected them.
Experimenters fed rats a high-fat diet to induce obesity, fed them buckwheat tea, took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters fed hamsters a high-cholesterol diet to induce hyperlipidemia, fed them oats and soy milk, starved them for at least 12 hours, repeatedly took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters cut out rats’ ovaries to induce osteoporosis, repeatedly force-fed them soy milk, injected them with chemicals, took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.

7. King Car Industrial Co., Ltd.

This company—known for its coffee and other beverages in Taiwan—conducted or funded at least five animal experiments from 2000 to 2020 that involved mutilating and killing at least 258 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing soft drinks, turmeric, probiotics, and other products and ingredients to consumers.

Experimenters fed rats a soft drink and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters fed rats and hamsters a high-cholesterol diet to induce hyperlipidemia, fed them chitosan (common in crustaceans’ shells), starved them for at least 12 hours, repeatedly took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters fed mice alcohol to induce fatty liver disease, fed them turmeric, took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.

8. Chuang Yi Biotech Co., Ltd.

This producer of pharmaceutical and health-food products in Taiwan conducted or funded at least five animal experiments from 2008 to 2019 that involved mutilating and killing at least 185 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing probiotics, green tea, lemon balm, and other products and ingredients to consumers.

Experimenters repeatedly force-fed mice probiotics, repeatedly injected them with allergens that caused extremely painful allergic reactions, and repeatedly took their blood, then broke their necks to kill them and dissected them.
Experimenters fed rats a high-fat diet to induce obesity, fed them green tea and lemon balm, took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.

9. Yung Kien Industrial Corp.

The company, known for its reishi mushroom products in Taiwan, conducted or funded at least four animal experiments from 2000 to 2005 that involved mutilating and killing at least 779 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing reishi mushrooms and other products and ingredients to consumers.

Experimenters repeatedly force-fed mice reishi mushrooms, repeatedly injected them with allergens that caused extremely painful allergic reactions, and repeatedly took their blood, then broke their necks to kill them and dissected them.
Experimenters repeatedly force-fed rats carbon tetrachloride to induce liver damage, fed them reishi mushrooms, took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters fed mice reishi mushrooms until they died and then took their blood and dissected them.

10. Yuen Foong Lai De Health Co.

This company, known for its various health-food products in Taiwan, conducted and/or funded at least four animal experiments from 2017 to 2020 that involved mutilating and killing at least 242 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing reishi mushrooms and other products and ingredients to consumers.

Experimenters fed mice reishi mushrooms, repeatedly injected them with allergens that caused extremely painful allergic reactions, repeatedly took their blood, and then broke their necks to kill them and dissected them.
Experimenters repeatedly force-fed mice reishi mushrooms, forced them to perform a series of stress-inducing behavioral tests, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters repeatedly force-fed rats carbon tetrachloride to induce liver damage, fed them , took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.

11. 三益事業 (no English name)

This company conducted or funded at least three animal experiments in Taiwan from 2005 to 2020 that involved mutilating and killing at least 319 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing burdock and other products and ingredient to consumers.

Experimenters repeatedly force-fed rats carbon tetrachloride to induce liver damage, fed them burdock, took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters force-fed rats a drug to induce acute stomach ulcers, fed them burdock, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters fed rats and hamsters a high-cholesterol diet to induce hyperlipidemia, repeatedly force-fed them chitosan (common in crustaceans’ shells), starved them for at least 12 hours, and repeatedly took their blood.

12. Hey Song Corporation

This company—known for its soft drinks in Taiwan—conducted or funded at least three animal experiments from 2005 to 2014 that involved mutilating and killing at least 209 animals, purportedly to support health claims for marketing camellia green tea and other products and ingredients to consumers.

Experimenters fed hamsters a high-fat diet to induce hyperlipidemia, fed them camellia green tea, starved them for at least 12 hours, repeatedly took their blood, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters fed rats a high-fat diet to induce obesity, fed them camellia green tea, and then killed and dissected them.
Experimenters fed rats an iron-deficient diet to induce anemia, fed them iron, and repeatedly took their blood.