Taichung city government defends inspection schedule amid oil scandal criticism

The Taichung city government has responded to online criticism regarding its inspection schedule for the "Zhonglian" oil company, which has been implicated in a carcinogenic oil scandal. The city's Food and Safety Department explained that its specialized inspections typically take place in August and September.

This clarification comes after netizens questioned why the city government had not conducted any inspections of Zhonglian this year, particularly as the scandal involving contaminated oil products continues to unfold nationwide. Critics suggested that Mayor Lu Shiow-yen's focus on criticizing the central government overlooked potential shortcomings in local oversight.

The Food and Safety Department detailed that last year, the city conducted three inspections of Zhonglian, with one of those inspections being a joint effort with the national Food and Drug Administration. These checks involved reviewing production records and testing reports, with deadlines set for improvements if any non-compliance was found.

Furthermore, the department stated that oil businesses are required to conduct self-testing every six months and report any abnormalities immediately. Taichung city government also conducts regular, unannounced spot checks on market-sold products and has inspected Zhonglian annually since 2022, with all facility inspections passing hygiene standards. The city pledged to continue cooperating with the Taichung District Prosecutors Office's ongoing investigation into the matter.