Lawmaker Demands Probe into Taiwan's Food Agency Over Contaminated Oil Scandal

Legislator Fu Kun-chi has sharply criticized the government's handling of food safety, demanding a thorough investigation into the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) past oversight of edible oil quality. Fu alleges that the administration has deliberately "covered up" issues related to contaminated oil for years, allowing potentially harmful products to reach Taiwanese consumers.

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How many years has the government allowed the people to eat problematic oil? How long has the government covered this up?

Fu pointed to revelations by Democratic Progressive Party legislator Lin Shu-fen, indicating that Zhonglian Oil not only relaxed its standards for raw material heat damage by tenfold but also failed to adhere to its own critical control points in the production process. Alarmingly, multiple tests since 2021 showed elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nearing legal limits. Despite these warnings, Fu claims regulatory authorities did not mandate comprehensive improvements, enhance inspections, or implement high-risk monitoring, enabling the problematic oil to infiltrate the market, including school lunches and mass catering services.

Expressing outrage, Fu questioned the government's inaction, citing an FDA research report from 2021 that indicated less than 60% of edible oil factories passed initial HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) checks. He demanded to know what actions the government took in the subsequent five years, suggesting that research reports were shelved and inspections were treated superficially, leaving consumers to bear the risks.

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Not only did Zhonglian Oil relax its standard for the acceptance of raw material heat damage by tenfold, but the production process also did not follow the originally planned critical control points.

Fu further condemned the ruling party's response to the escalating food safety crisis, characterizing it as evasive and lacking empathy. He criticized Premier Cho Jung-tai for not directly addressing accountability in legislative questioning and President Lai Ching-te for remaining silent. Fu specifically called out a DPP spokesperson's insensitive remark, "It's not like I forced you to eat it," as evidence of the ruling team's lack of empathy, responsibility, and crisis awareness. Fu concluded that the Democratic Progressive Party owes the public more than an apology; it owes them accountability and a truly effective food safety system.

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It's not like I forced you to eat it.