The Chinese mainland has suspended importing cooking oil products made by a Taiwan company involved in a food safety scandal.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said that the decision was made after Cheng I Food Co Ltd was exposed as having used oil meant for animal feed in its lard oil products.

Lard oil is a clear oil pressed from pig fat, popular among Chinese when making soup.

Investigation showed that the mainland has not imported lard oil products from Taiwan since 2013, according to the agency.