To strengthen corporate integrity among food operators and demonstrate the determination of prosecutors and the government to protect food safety and local industries, the Taiwan Chiayi District Prosecutors Office, in collaboration with the Chiayi City Government, held the "2026 Food Industry Corporate Integrity Advocacy Forum" yesterday afternoon (the 8th) in the 8th-floor conference room of the city government.

The forum was personally hosted by Chiayi City Mayor Huang Min-hui. Distinguished guests in attendance included:

• Tsai Tzung-Shi, Chief Prosecutor of the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office

• Xu Jia-long, Chief of the Southern Region Investigation Office of the Agency Against Corruption, Ministry of Justice

• Jiang Zhi-gang, Director-General of the Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare

• Lin Han-chien, President of National Chiayi University

• Local food industry operators from Chiayi City

Their joint presence demonstrated a firm, cross-agency, and industry-academia collaborative stance on defending food safety.

Food Safety as a Pillar of National Security

In his opening remarks, Chief Prosecutor Tsai Tzung-Shi pointed out that food safety is the cornerstone of social stability and national security. He emphasized that since Chiayi City is renowned as a culinary capital, the "integrity" of food operators is the ultimate guarantee for sustainable revenue. Given that food preservation and quality control carry high risks, operators must never take reckless chances.

Moving forward, the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office will continue to strictly enforce the law against misconduct, specifically targeting:

• False labeling of product origin

• Concealment of ingredients

• Falsification of manufacturing dates

• Failure to clearly label refrigeration requirements

• Use of illegal additives

Chief Prosecutor Tsai urged businesses to remember that operating with integrity is not only a commitment to the citizens of Chiayi but also a responsibility to the nation and the world. Only by fulfilling food safety responsibilities can businesses unlock long-term financial success.

Cracking Down on Tea "Origin Washing" via Science

During the forum, Chiang Chin-hsing, Head Prosecutor of the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office, delivered a presentation titled "A Comprehensive Deconstruction of Cross-Border Smuggling, Competition Gold-Medal Rigging, and Scientific Forensics." He provided an in-depth analysis of a tea "origin washing" fraud case that has shocked the industry in recent years.

The Key Breakthrough: The turning point in this case lay in "replacing sensory intuition with scientific evidence."

The investigation team painstakingly combed through massive volumes of digital communications and import declarations. By utilizing the "multi-element analysis and identification" technology developed by the Tea Research and Extension Station, they successfully proved the fraud. Ultimately, the main culprit was sentenced to prison, the corporate entity was fined, and the illicit gains were confiscated, demonstrating the law's resolve to severely punish food safety fraud.

A Joint Call for Clean Elections and Anti-Fraud Awareness

In closing, the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office reiterated that with elections approaching, participating businesses are urged to jointly safeguard a clean election culture.

The office reminded the audience that vote-buying is not limited to cash; any attempts to influence voting intentions through catering entertainment, gift-giving, travel arrangements, or other exchanges of benefits could violate the law. Furthermore, businesses should remain highly vigilant and strengthen preventative measures against rampant fraud tactics.

Combating vote-buying requires public-private collaboration and deep-rooted legal education. In the future, the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office will continue to promote corporate integrity and anti-bribery awareness through cross-agency cooperation, working hand-in-hand with society to build a fair, transparent, clean, and trustworthy environment.