On 13/2, the Taipei City government in Taiwan, China, announced a comprehensive inspection of a stinky tofu shop in Zhongshan District. This decision followed numerous complaints from residents claiming the shop's odor was causing psychological distress.

In a Threads social media post on 11/2, a user detailed how the smell from the Yuli Qiaotou stinky tofu shop, located near Jiannan Road MRT station, had plunged her into a state of "severe anxiety," leading her to pull out most of her hair. The post garnered over 20,000 interactions within two days.

Environmental inspection team at Yuli Qiaotou stinky tofu shop. Source: jemarx.dtmy

The woman described her daily life as a "nightmare" since the stinky tofu shop began operating. She stated, "I'm going crazy living with this stench every day; it's so terrible it throws me into a panic, making me pull out all the hair on my head." She included images of bald patches, hair on the floor, various ointments, psychological treatment medications from a doctor, and a response letter from the Taipei Environmental Protection Department.

Yan Ling-zhen, team leader of the Taipei Environmental Protection Department's inspection unit, confirmed that the agency had repeatedly inspected the restaurant since receiving complaints in 12/2024.

The establishment had previously been fined for violating odor regulations. On 9/2/2025, authorities measured the odor concentration, finding it ten times higher than the permissible limit. The restaurant was subsequently fined 585,000 New Taiwan dollars for violating the Air Pollution Control Act. During a follow-up inspection on 20/4/2025, inspectors confirmed the shop had installed a kitchen exhaust hood, industrial dishwasher, and a plasma deodorization system. These measures helped reduce the odor concentration to within acceptable limits.

Yan added that after that period, the number of complaints decreased to approximately two to three cases each month, and routine inspections found no violations. However, the number of complaints has recently surged. Many residents report a strong odor in the area around the Yuli Qiaotou stinky tofu shop. The cause remains unclear, whether it is due to the inherent characteristics of stinky tofu or the shop's inefficient ventilation system. As a comprehensive review has not been conducted for some time, authorities plan to reassess odor concentrations after the Lunar New Year holiday.

In Taiwan, activities causing unpleasant odors in residential areas are strictly regulated by the Air Pollution Control Act. Unlike fine dust or industrial emissions, "odor concentration" is measured using a sample air bag method and a sensory panel of trained odor evaluators.

Under this law, businesses that emit odors exceeding standards can face fines ranging from 20,000 to one million New Taiwan dollars (15-770 million dong) for individual businesses. For larger enterprises, the fine can be up to 20 million New Taiwan dollars.

Stinky tofu, a Taiwanese specialty. Photo: Alex Lozupone

Restaurants with an area exceeding 100 square meters or registered capital above 100,000 New Taiwan dollars are required to install exhaust gas treatment equipment, such as electrostatic precipitators or plasma deodorizers. If an establishment receives more than three complaints within 30 days, authorities have the right to enforce an immediate inspection.

A representative from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Department encourages residents to suggest specific locations for placing odor concentration measuring devices to ensure results accurately reflect community concerns.

Mai Phuong (According to Taipei Times, Focus Taiwan)