Taiwan Pursues Administrative Accountability in Edible Oil Scandal; Minister Vows No Cover-ups

Taiwanese authorities are pursuing administrative accountability in the Zhonglian edible oil scandal, with Minister without Portfolio Chen Shih-chung vowing to prosecute anyone found at fault. "Whoever made a mistake will be prosecuted; the government will not cover for anyone," Chen stated while attending a Ministry of Health and Welfare event.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its special zone for the Zhonglian case, reporting a total of 7,743.9 metric tons of oil recalled as of Monday morning. This figure includes 2,597.7 tons of non-compliant oil and 5,146.2 tons of products recalled as a precautionary measure. While no new substandard crude oil has been identified, leading to no additional affected downstream businesses or products, the FDA is awaiting the completion of tests on 52 samples, expected within the week.

FDA Deputy Director-General Wang Der-yuan indicated that the testing of all samples would be finished this week. The results will then be reported to superiors for discussion before a public announcement on the timeline. Premier Cho Jung-tai has pledged to investigate the administrative responsibility for the food safety incident.

Chen Shih-chung emphasized that the incident highlights systemic issues, particularly a lack of clear regulations for post-notification traceability and inspection mechanisms in food safety. He stressed that all stages, from post-market surveillance to source management, have a responsibility to ensure safety. If systemic deficiencies are found, legislative amendments will be pursued to strengthen the food safety management system.

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Whoever made a mistake will be prosecuted; the government will not cover for anyone.