The Executive Yuan on Thursday approved the Ministry of Health and Welfare's (MOHW) draft amendments to the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. The bill will now be sent to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation.
Premier Cho Jung-tai stated that, regarding the recent case involving certain soybean salad oils supplied by Taichung-based Central Union Oil Corp. that were found to contain benzo[a]pyrene levels exceeding regulatory limits, the MOHW on July 20 announced the results of further analysis conducted on edible oils and related products manufactured between April and June. The MOHW convened the Food Safety Risk Assessment Advisory Committee and announced the government's principles for handling the analysis results on July 21, and then subsequently drafted the amendments to the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. The main proposed revisions to the act are as follows:
1) In the event of a major food safety incident, the central government may establish a command center, while local governments will be responsible for mobilization, reporting, and coordinating response efforts.
2) Food businesses must notify the authorities within 24 hours upon discovering food products that pose a food safety risk.
3) Certification bodies may conduct on-site sampling for the purpose of strengthening second-tier certification.
4) Local competent authorities are responsible for conducting food safety verification. The central competent authorities may also handle verification for major, emergent or other food safety incidents, in which case the local authorities shall cooperate.
5) A food safety protection fund may be used to provide financial assistance to compliant food businesses affected by product removal orders.
6) Businesses that violate requirements for self-testing or commissioned testing may be fined up to NT$3 million (approximately US$93,000), while those that violate reporting obligations may be fined up to NT$30 million (approx. US$930,000). An asset preservation mechanism will also be established.
7) The management obligations and risk control responsibilities of internet service providers will be clearly defined.