Toxic Oil Scandal Widens! Ministry of Health Pushes for Food Safety Law Amendments – Delays or Concealment of Reporting to Incur Fines up to NT$30 Million

On the 21st, Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) held a press conference announcing the re-release of 19 batches of oil products from Chung Lian Oils and related items that had been subject to preventive recalls. Minister Shih Chong-liang stated that future inspection standards will be raised to match those of the European Union. Preventive recalls and product withdrawals will be codified into law, and the maximum fine for delayed or concealed reporting will be increased from the current NT$3 million to NT$30 million. Furthermore, in the event of major food safety incidents in the future, a 'Central Food Safety Incident Command Center' will be established, modeled after the Communicable Disease Control Act, to ensure unified command and coordination.

Minister Shih emphasized that the investigation team was not formed only on the 21st. Following the incident, the relevant departments immediately launched an investigation, held multiple expert meetings, and on the 21st, experts conducted an on-site inspection at the factory to finalize the investigation report. Regarding benzo[a]pyrene standards, Shih stated, 'We are referencing EU standards, which are among the strictest in the world.' On penalties for delayed or concealed reporting, currently ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million, Shih confirmed that the proposed amendment will raise the upper limit to NT$30 million.

The MOHW's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that the amendment to the Food Safety and Health Management Act will draw from the model of the Communicable Disease Control Act. Depending on the risk level and scope of impact of a food safety incident, a 'Central Food Safety Incident Command Center' will be established to unify command between central and local governments. This aims to prevent confusion among the public and businesses caused by inconsistent responses across different counties and cities, marking a key direction of the amendment.

In response to the Chung Lian oil incident, the FDA ordered the company to halt production and manufacturing on July 1 and began tracing downstream products. In the future, the preventive recall and withdrawal system will be codified into law, clearly defining the scope, procedures, and mechanisms for re-release or destruction after risk resolution, ensuring a uniform standard across all counties and cities.