By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said Tuesday that local government leaders should focus on solving food safety problems through central-local coordination, after Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) invited him to attend a July 25 rally on Ketagalan Boulevard.
Chen confirmed that Chiang called him on July 20 to invite him to the rally over the Chung Lien Oil (中聯油脂) food safety scandal, but said local leaders should focus on the items discussed at an Executive Yuan food safety meeting held on July 21.
The scandal involves soybean salad oil found to contain excessive benzo[a]pyrene, a carcinogenic compound. The ubiquitous compound can be found in coal tar, tobacco smoke, and many foods, especially grilled meats. Authorities said the company delayed reporting the problem, prompting recalls of affected oil and downstream food products and a review of food safety reporting rules.
Chen said food supply chains often cross city and county lines, making faster reporting and clearer coordination between local governments and central agencies necessary during food safety incidents.
The Food and Drug Administration said proposed changes would include stronger source management, tighter process controls, abnormality reporting rules, higher penalties for delayed or false reporting, and a mechanism for the central government to set up a command center for major food safety incidents.
