To facilitate the management of imported food businesses and the health and safety of the products they import, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted three industry guidance meetings for the food importer registration system in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung on June 9, June 16, and June 17 of this year (2014). A total of 343 businesses attended these meetings. During the meetings, in addition to explaining the key points of the new revisions to the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation to businesses, the FDA also explained the government’s current promotion of the food industry registration system and advocated that businesses complete their registrations in accordance with government decrees. 

The Ministry of Health and Welfare issued the Regulations Governing the Registration of Food Businesses on December 3, 2013, and announced on April 24 of this year (2014) that food additive businesses must complete registration. In the future, the ministry will announce the categories and scales of the food businesses that must register to operate. 

The FDA conducted 20 industry briefings in 2013. It has planned 18 briefings for 2014. These briefings will cover the food additive industry, the food manufacturing and processing industry, the plastic container and utensil industry, the restaurant industry, and the import industry. The FDA has already conducted 13 industry briefings attended by a total of 1931 businesses so far this year. These briefings have included ample communication and exchanges of views with businesses with a view to full industry cooperation with government policy. Detailed registrations from different industries are provided to county and city health authorities to facilitate a firm understanding of industry information and to safeguard jointly the safety and health of the people of Taiwan in terms of diet.