Food Safety Scandal Escalates! Legislator Cites Research Paper to Criticize FDA Chief's 'Prediction' as Shih Steps Forward to Respond

In response to the major food safety incident involving Zhonglian Oils' carcinogenic cooking oil, Taiwan's Executive Yuan and relevant authorities are fully investigating the distribution of the contaminated products. Legislator Chen Jinghui questioned officials in the Legislative Yuan on the morning of the 8th, highlighting that the company delayed reporting for over a month—detecting the issue on May 13 but only notifying authorities on June 30—potentially allowing approximately 1,300 metric tons of tainted oil to enter the market. Chen harshly criticized the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) for slow decision-making and potential administrative failure, citing a 2016 research paper authored by the FDA commissioner to underscore the irony.

Chen revealed that Zhonglian Oils held a secret meeting on June 15, further delaying public disclosure. She argued that the FDA’s blind trust in corporate self-regulation mirrored warnings in the commissioner’s own past academic work, which predicted such systemic failures. The delay, she emphasized, allowed a massive volume of contaminated oil to circulate.

In response, Health Minister Shih Chong-liang acknowledged that the company’s concealment hindered timely investigation. He pledged severe penalties for the company and stressed that the top priority is identifying the full scope of distribution and executing a complete product recall. Shih explained that the initial 20% recall threshold was based on risk assessment but was quickly revised to a full recall after considering broader food safety impacts and enforcement challenges.

Addressing criticism over attending an awards ceremony during the crisis, Shih clarified that the event honored nursing professionals and that he had shortened his schedule and held an early press conference upon recognizing the urgency. He reiterated that the government will continue tracking test results, hold violators accountable, and conduct internal reviews to ensure transparency and prevent future incidents.