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DOH mulls unified food safety system

The Department of Health (DOH) is exploring the possibility of creating a food safety center with a unified management system and integrated regulations to better safeguard the health of the population.

Department official Hsiao Tung-ming (蕭東銘) said on Friday that the center would integrate the rules and regulations of different government organizations on food safety management and inspection, including those regulating drug usage in vegetable farming and livestock and poultry, and drugs in imported and exported food.

It would also create a unified safety monitoring system that follows food from the time it is produced all the way to consumption, he said.

Hsiao said that at present the nation's food safety management system does not fall under a single authority, but is rather the responsibility of different government bodies.

He gave the division of responsibility for agricultural product safety as an example. While the Council of Agriculture is responsible for agricultural products such as livestock, poultry, fruits and vegetables before they enter the market, but once the products hit the shelves they become the responsibility of the department.

This diversified management system sometimes causes lags in the transfer of information and possible blindspots in food safety management, Hsiao said.

The department will base itself on the US model of a single food safety authority to create the blueprint for Taiwan's future food safety management system, he said.

Hsiao said a unified system would result in faster information exchange and fewer mistakes in food quality control, with integrated regulations identifying and managing risks effectively.
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