For reinforcement of cooking oil and fat manufacturers’ self-management obligation, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) promulgated the “Minimum Inspection Cycle and Related Affairs of Mandatory Inspection by Cooking Oil and Fat Manufacturers” on October 24, 2014 pursuant to Paragraphs 3 and 4, Article 7 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. The said paragraphs provide that cooking oil and fat manufacturers with a capital above $30 million should be subject to the preferential implementation of mandatory inspection from October 31, 2014 onward based on the principle of risk control and the spirit of food safety control. Failure to carry out mandatory inspection may result in a maximum fine of $3 million. 

Cooking oils and fats may be animal oils and fats or vegetable oils and fats. Mandatory inspection on animal oil and fat products including raw materials, crude oils, and refined oils, as well as on vegetable oil and fat products including raw materials, crude oils for refining purpose, virgin oils and refined oils for direct consumption, shall be implemented in stages. The minimum inspection cycle shall be once in every six months, and the test results of inspection shall be kept in record until 6 months after the expiry date of the tested products or materials, and of the products made of semi-finished products. 

The Food and Drug Administration emphasized that the inspection-related matters promulgated by the MOHW are mandatory basic requirements, and enterprises are at their own discretion to implement inspection regulations, other test items, and other necessary quality control measures that meet or exceed the basic requirements based on the spirit of self-management and the principle of risk control. For example, manufacturers may conduct on-site field check on suppliers, and make reference to the test results of benzo(a)pyrene, total polar compounds, or acid value to confirm if inferior oils such as waste oil already used in deep frying are blended in the crude oil or refined oil, and hence to ensure the sanitation and safety of the cooking oils and fats they purchased. 

Self-management is not the only way of inspection; food enterprises should think highly of their responsibilities in producing and selling foods, and make sure they do it in compliance with the manufacturing and management standards. Food enterprises in the categories that are required to implement mandatory inspection as per the promulgation should take further steps to perform the inspection by themselves or through outsourcing. The test results may be counterchecked against test reports provided by suppliers, so that supplier management can be enhanced, and product sanitation and safety in relation to raw materials, semi-finished products, and products can be well tracked.