The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday said manufacturers and importers of five types of food will be included in a food safety monitoring program, requiring them to register and conduct regular examinations.
The five types of food are agricultural plant products, noodles and vermicelli products, food-grade vinegar, egg products and grain mill products.
Companies manufacturing the five food types with capital exceeding NT$30 million (US$953,895) and firms that import the products are to be included in the program.
Division of Food Safety official Hsu Chao-kai (許朝凱) said an estimated 4,700 companies will be added to the program, with the inclusion of the five food types bringing the total number of companies regulated by the program to about 19,000 operating in 23 industries.
“It includes almost all ingredients needed for food processing,” he said, adding that the companies will be required to set food safety monitoring plans, conduct mandatory examinations at least once every season or every batch to ensure good hygiene and food safety.
The companies will be regulated by the program in different stages according to their area of operations, Hsu said.
Manufacturers of processed meat and dairy products must begin the examinations on Oct. 31, and all companies will be required to do the same by July 31, 2018, he said.
The FDA said that if a company fails to set monitoring plans or conduct examinations, the agency will ask it to make amends, but if it continues to ignore the requirements, it would face a fine of NT$30,000 to NT$3 million.
If the case is considered a serious one, the agency can order the company to shut down for a time, or terminate its business entirely, it said.
The agency said it would collect opinions and suggestions on the policy from the public until Oct. 19, and people can check a question-and-answer section on its Web site, www.fda.gov.tw.
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