Taiwan detains Zhonglian Oil executives, reforms food‑safety law

Taiwan’s Taichung District Prosecutors Office conducted a second raid on Zhonglian Oil, seizing evidence of benzopyrene‑contaminated salad oil. Plant manager Chen Ming‑rong, general manager Yu Ling‑chong and three other staff members were placed under detention and barred from meeting investigators. Bail amounts ranged from NT$100,000 to NT$20 million for senior officials, while the prosecution alleges obstruction of justice and evidence tampering under the Food Safety and Health Act.

In response, the Executive Yuan convened a food‑safety law amendment meeting. The proposed changes would increase fines for delayed reporting from NT$3 million to NT$30 million and extend mandatory reporting duties to testing laboratories, requiring a 24‑hour notification of any abnormal results. During the session, officials Lu Shou‑yan and Jiang Wan‑an left the meeting early, prompting criticism that they were shielding Zhonglian from stricter enforcement.