Opposition DPP presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen says that the public has lost their confidence in the government’s handling of food safety issues. Tsai made the statement in a Facebook post Saturday.
Tsai's statement comes after a court found tycoon Wei Ying-chung not guilty in a food safety case that made headlines in Taiwan last year. Wei was indicted last October after his company was found to have sold lard mixed with oil intended for use as animal feed. The tainted oil was then used in food products meant for human consumption. The verdict, announced Friday, has triggered a public outcry.
Tsai said that her food safety policies, announced in mid-October, will rebuild public confidence. These policies include introducing a mechanism to keep tainted substances out of the food manufacturing process and simplifying the food certification process so Taiwan’s standards match those used in the international community.
Tsai also wants to place stiffer punishments on companies that violate regulations, offer rewards to whistleblowers, and increase the scope of the nation’s food inspections to cover ten times more products.