President Ma Ying-jeou is set to call a national security meeting on Monday night to tackle the latest food safety scandals to hit Taiwan.
The presidential office said Monday that the scandals over tainted edible oils have triggered public anxiety and damaged Taiwan’s image. The office said that President Ma has decided to conduct the meeting in person to strengthen government efficiency and coordinate resources in the crackdown on substandard edible oils.
An investigation launched by Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found that an edible oil company under the Ting Hsing International Group might have mixed imported lard meant for animal feed with oil meant for human consumption.
Speaking at the legislature on Monday, FDA official Feng Ruenn-lan said the Vietnamese company that produced the lard is a legal manufacturer of lard for use in animal feed. Feng said two more Taiwanese food companies also imported the same product from the same company.
The owner of the Vietnamese company, a Taiwanese businessman, has been detained.