Two More Batches of Chung Lian Oil Products Found Non-Compliant! Executive Yuan Convenes Progress Meeting on Carcinogenic Oil; TFDA: Total of 7 Batches Detected

Executive Yuan Premier Cho Jung-tai convened the 'Progress Meeting on Chung Lian Oils Soybean Salad Oil' this morning (20th). The Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) reported inspection results, stating that among the 30 batches of oil products manufactured by Chung Lian from April to June, 24 batches were fully inspected—excluding the five already confirmed as non-compliant and one batch exported without available samples.

Of these, three batches not yet shipped were tested and all met safety standards. Among the 21 already shipped batches, inspections of upstream crude oil and downstream end products confirmed two additional non-compliant batches. This brings the total number of non-compliant batches to seven.

Today, Premier Cho convened relevant agencies including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Executive Yuan Food Safety Office, and Consumer Protection Committee to discuss inspection outcomes and the progress of amendments to the 'Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act' and its subsidiary regulations.

Regarding the 30 batches produced by Chung Lian Oils from April to June 2026, Premier Cho had instructed during a special meeting on July 13th that all inspections must be completed within one week to thoroughly assess risk levels.

The Executive Yuan stated that compliant batches will be submitted to the 'Food Risk Assessment Advisory Council' convened by the TFDA tomorrow (21st) for risk evaluation and deliberation on follow-up measures. Additionally, the TFDA has commissioned the Food Industry Research and Development Institute to establish an independent investigation team. The team will enter the factory tomorrow to comprehensively review manufacturing and quality management processes, swiftly clarifying the cause of the incident and responsibility. The investigation is expected to be completed within one week, with results to be disclosed appropriately.

Premier Cho emphasized that to safeguard public food safety and prevent unscrupulous businesses from concealing violations, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will present draft amendments to the 'Food Safety and Sanitation Management Act' and related regulations at the Executive Yuan meeting this Thursday (July 23rd). The amendments will focus on five core areas: strengthening source management, process control, abnormality reporting, quality management, and digital governance, proposing 10 key revisions.

These include: adding mandatory self-inspection frequency for high-risk food operators; establishing certification systems for in-house laboratories of specific food businesses; mandating laboratory management and reporting obligations; introducing third-party verification agencies for sampling and reporting; enhancing risk-based inspection mechanisms by local authorities; strengthening operators' reporting responsibilities and increasing penalties for delayed, concealed, or false reporting; expanding traceability for high-risk operators; adding enforcement safeguards for fines; establishing a central command mechanism for major food safety incidents; and clearly defining management principles for product recalls, preventive recalls, and re-listing.

Premier Cho stressed that the amendments will fully incorporate lessons from the Chung Lian Oils case, risk assessment findings, and public input to continuously improve the food safety management system. Through robust legal frameworks and management mechanisms, the government aims to enhance food safety governance capacity, build a more comprehensive protection system, and safeguard public health.

Finally, Premier Cho reiterated that ensuring strict food safety controls—so the public can buy with confidence and eat with peace of mind—is the highest principle of the government's food safety policy. In response to this Chung Lian oil incident, the government is adhering to the principles of 'food safety first, risk control, information transparency, and protection of public rights,' handling the matter in accordance with the law and scientific evidence. The government is implementing 'inspections, traceability, and recalls' and promptly informing the public of inspection results and progress, upholding the highest standards to protect public health, consumer rights, and stable industry development.