Yu-Cheng incident

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Yu-Cheng incident, contamination of rice oil with PCB in Taiwan. In 1979, 2061 persons were determined to be victims of PCB poisoning, and the affected persons had been using rice-bran oil contaminated (53-99 mg/kg [ΣPCB in fat]) by PCBs used in heat transfer system. The PCB intake was estimated to be 700 to 1,800 mg (ΣPCB per person) and the average estimated PCDF intake 3.8 mg (ΣPCDD/F per person). Average blood levels were 50-100 µg/litre (ΣPCB). As in the earlier Yusho incident (see this) the main signs were eye problems (swelling, hypersecretion of Meibomian glands), abnormal pigmentation, decreased nerve conduction velocities, hyperpigmentation and tooth deformities of babies born to affected mothers.