In response to the numerous food-safety incidents of recent years that have raised public concerns, the administration has put forward the "five rings of food safety" reform program, Premier Lin Chuan stated today at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Taipei International Food Show's "Technology and Food Safety" pavilion.
The five rings are as follows:
1. Exercise control at the source: Collect data and implement containment if any problem arises in food importation or production.
2. Reestablish production-management histories: Enable shoppers to use a product's data to trace information concerning the producers, distributors and production process.
3. Boost the government's inspection capabilities: Raise the frequency and intensity of inspections.
4. Impose heavier responsibilities on producers and manufacturers.
5. Encourage and create oversight platforms: Allow citizens and consumers to oversee every detail of food production processes and to acquire ample information about the possible problems for each food product.
The administration will make food safety a top administrative priority, Lin emphasized. He expects the reform program to be implemented as soon as possible and said it should be actively carried out by all relevant ministries, including the Council of Agriculture, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education (MOE) and Environmental Protection Administration.
The MOE must especially pay attention to elementary and junior high school students' food safety and health, and ensure that school lunches are made and served in sanitary environments, the premier added.
The "Technology and Food Safety" pavilion will be open in Hall 1, Section J of the Nangang Exhibition Center from June 22 to 25, the Executive Yuan stated. Access is free of charge, and visitors are welcome to bring along their families to participate in the challenging food-safety question-and-answer games held each day of the exhibition.