Taiwan Executive Yuan to Pass Food Safety Law Amendments, Impose Heavier Penalties for Deception

Taiwan's Executive Yuan is set to approve significant amendments to the Food Safety and Sanitation Act next Thursday, July 23, aiming to bolster food safety regulations in the wake of recent scandals. Premier Cho Jung-tai announced the upcoming legislative action, emphasizing a "five-pronged strengthening" approach.

These enhancements will focus on fortifying source management, refining process controls, and rebuilding the abnormal reporting system. The reforms also include reinforcing the three-tiered quality control system and leveraging digital governance, such as the "Food Cloud," to improve oversight. The Ministry of Health and Welfare will present a detailed report on these measures next Monday.

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Future will have 'five reinforcements,' strengthening source management, strengthening process management; strengthening the reconstruction of the abnormal reporting system; strengthening the three-tier quality control system, and also including digital governance such as strengthening the food cloud.

Key changes include increasing inspection frequency, mandating that companies of a certain size establish certified third-party laboratories, and enforcing real-time reporting obligations. The amendments will require manufacturers to conduct trial production and testing for any changes in raw material sources or production processes. Furthermore, both in-house and external laboratories must be accredited, and mandatory, real-time data uploads will be implemented. Penalties for delayed reporting and malicious deception will be increased, while leniency for self-reporting may be reduced.

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Food safety law amendments are very important is to encrypt the inspection frequency; in addition, companies above a certain scale must set up laboratories, and these laboratories must be certified by a third party, and future laboratories must bear the responsibility and obligation of real-time reporting.