Dae Han Tofu

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You'd think bean curd would practically sell itself in Portland, which www.goveg.com calls "the nation's leading vegetarian city."

But apparently this week's Rogue, Dae Han Tofu, felt its white, flabby cubes needed to be a little more attractive to Portland's health nuts. A routine federal inspection of the company's Northwest Portland facility revealed several violations.

Namely, the Food and Drug Administration contended in a May 11 warning letter to Dae Han Tofu that the protein content of its Organic Tofu was only 61 percent of what the label claimed. FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Magill says every food product must contain at least 80 percent of the nutritional levels advertised on its label.

Besides accusing Dae Han owner Calvin Chun of inflated protein counts, the FDA also charged Chun with mislabeling his entire product line.

All five of his tofu creations' packages bragged about being "low calorie." But even the leanest among them exceeded the FDA's definition for that term. Dae Han's worst offender, its "Hot-n-Spicy" variety, topped the standard by as much as four times.

The FDA also said Chun's wares did not deserve the "high protein" label they brandished. The FDA requires so-called high-protein foods to deliver 20 percent of consumers' daily needs for protein. Dae Han falls short of that, serving up from 10 to 15 percent.

Chun, who was threatened by the FDA with product seizure as a penalty for the violations, told WW he would change the labels to reflect the lab's findings. But he adds that it would be nearly impossible to meet the FDA's standards.

Really? The FDA database shows no records of any other tofu manufacturers in the Northwest being charged with mislabeling at any time in the past five years.

11.01.2008 at 02:19 Reply

Gina

Dae Han Tofu was the BEST. Another local OTA Tofu runs a solid second to Calvins INCREDIBLE Dae Han tofu. Myself and other business owners who used Dae Han loved the company.

Willamatte Week has a nasty habit of

mud slinging at competitors of the editors/publishers friends competitors. Is that really news to any longtime Portlander? Probably not.

You must know of the bullying of new businesses by the old hippe guard here in the food biz> If not be informed it is for real.

It is true soybeans vary wildy in protein from crop to crop.I truly doubt his labels, printed 2 yearts prior were off by much at all.But SOMEONE called the FDA who made him change. i'll bet 755 of local food company product leables are off. Hey, I am gonna call the FDA to check on them all!

Dae Han tofu was the only manufactuer who used the all important SOYBEAN

RINSING machine. Many..most, do not and Dae Han spent the extra$$ on water and labor to do so. It was high quality product that is now gone from Portland..he left a year later ..took his wife and 3 daufghters to another city out east.Lucky them!

This in interesting..

One week after this RIDICULOUS rogue of the week article appeared..a man named Mr. Seigel from another tofu manufacturer called me and asked laughinly if I'd like to replace Dae Han with his nearby Washington state manufactured tofu?

I replied 'No thank you, we are very satisfied with Dae Han Organic locally produced tofu." Calvin-owner of -Dae Han Tofu Company expressed to us soon after he was slandered by WW and it's publisher that his company had to take out a large loan to re-do the labels and that since he might not be able to keep up with deliveries for a few week.

DAMAGING HIS BUSINESS GREATLY. If we'd like to switch..No thank you sir. We love Dae Han and support this organic, local manufacturer

of the FINEST TOFU.

Thank goodness we don't do business in Portland and have moved out of that very weird asnd amateurish business environment. Peace Out Peace Marchers..

don't forget to screw your neighbor.

Hilarious town.

03.08.2009 at 05:33 Reply

Twiggy

Stats vary greatly at times.This article is weird isn't it? This labeling issue happens all the time and the FDA just works with the company and IT IS NEVER made an issue in the local press. I as a a business owner using cases of Dae Han per week was contacted the week after this article by some guy named 'Speigal" who was a local manufacturer of an inferior brand in my opinion."Would you like to start using my Tofu?' he asked. "No thank you, myself and my customers prefer Dae Han." He chuckled and said "Okay"I say this man and his VERY well run company was driven out of town by this. He confided in me how serious the temporary interruption of Whole Foods orders and the cost of replacing his lable was doing to his business.Eventually this other local company..the inderior one.. took over Dae Han.But that is what goes on there in puddlehood. He and his family moved away.

He was the only local manufacturer who washed the soybeans off prior to process. Black water runs off for a time and when this is skipped that is why people get 'gas' and prefer not to eat Tofu. Good for him..he moved to a healthier environment.

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Dae Han Tofu