Taiwan Food Safety Director Hsu Fu Criticized Over 20% Oil Removal Threshold

A food‑safety scandal involving Zhonglian Oil’s carcinogenic oil has intensified in Taiwan. KMT legislator Chen Yi‑hsin accused Food Safety Office director Hsu Fu of dereliction, saying the 20% removal standard was set by a meeting Hsu attended and that the public deserves an explanation.

Health Minister Shih Tsung‑liang testified before the Legislative Yuan, asserting that the 20% figure resulted from expert consensus and that de‑gummed crude oil is legally a semi‑finished product, not subject to mandatory reporting. He detailed that after a June 30 alert, Zhonglian was ordered to halt production, and inspections found seven non‑compliant batches out of 224 tested. The government pledged compensation through a consumer‑protection fund and promised a full investigation to safeguard school meals and military rations.