STUST upholds the mission of fulfilling university social responsibilities and safeguarding food safety in Tainan Fucheng. It held the Fifth Southern Taiwan Food Safety Forum in the Nintzi International Conference Hall of STUST on September 17. The forum was hosted by President Deng-Maw Lu of STUST, who invited the Tainan Director Yi-Lin Hsu of the Bureau of Health from Taiwan City Government and some relevant government officials, food industry operators, consumer representatives, and dozens of distinguished guests from all walks of life who are concerned about food safety.

[VIP guests at the Fifth Southern Taiwan Food Safety Forum (from left to right): Manager Jun-You Lin of National Credibility Poll Co., Ltd.; Associate Professor Zhi-Gang Luo from the Institute of Food Safety Management, Pingtung University of Science and Technology; and Distinguished Professor Chang-Wei Shie from the Department of Food and Applied Biotechnology, Chung Hsing University]

STUST has entered the fifth year of undertaking the Food Safety and Hygiene Management System Project granted by the Bureau of Health, Tainan City Government, organizing the Fifth Southern Taiwan Food Safety Forum. The theme of the forum is rich and diverse, with the first theme—Food Safety Risk Management, the second theme-Law and Industry Independent Management, the third theme—Review and Prospects, and the fourth theme—Outlook of Food Safety Culture. The forum focuses on the establishment of a comprehensive policy discussion on Taiwan's current food safety culture as well as the food safety management system, making the food industry more robust.

[A group photo of all the VIPs participating in the Fifth South Taiwan Food Safety Forum]

The first topic discussed in the morning session was "The Background of Food Fraud." The opening ceremony was hosted by Honorary Professor Ming-Chang Wu from the Department of Food Science, Pingtung University of Science and Technology. Invited speakers were Distinguished Professor Chang-Wei Shie from the Department of Food and Applied Biotechnology, Chung Hsing University; and Zong-Sheng Tsai from the Prosecutor's Office of Tainan District Court. They discussed the relationship between food defense and food fraud as well as food safety and the legal aspects.

[Director Yi-Lin Xu of the Bureau of Health, Tainan City Government, was making a speech.]

The afternoon was divided into two sessions. The first session focused on "The Importance of Preventing Food Fraud to Food Safety." The opening session invited Honorary Professor Rui-Bi Wu from the Institute of Food Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, followed by Associate Professor Zhi-Gang Luo from the Institute of Food Safety Management, Pingtung University of Science and Technology, who shared his ideas and knowledge about food fraud prevention by self-management by the industry. Another invited speaker, Zheng-Shian Ji, Deputy Director of the Regulatory Department of Taiwan American Inspection Technology Co., Ltd., talked about food fraud incidents by food fraud and labeling in practice.

[Deng-Maw Lu, President of STUST, was delivering a speech.]

The second session discussed "Food Industry's Prevention of Food Fraud." Chairman Jia-Sheng Ye of China Food Safety Control System Development Association served as the moderator, and invited speakers were Deputy Manager Jun-Jie Zeng of the Food Safety Center of Kaiyuan Food Company, and Manager Ya-Zhen Huang of the Quality Assurance Department of Lianhua Food Company. The two speakers share their ideas and experiences about food industry’s mitigation plans that prevent food fraud and food fraud from happening. Finally, Chairman Jia-Sheng Ye of the China Food Safety Control System Development Association presided over a comprehensive symposium, communicating and exchanging opinions with the representatives, guests, and participants from industries, governments, and the academia. It is hoped that the food industry will continue to implement autonomous hygiene management and good hygiene autonomous management, with a sense of mission to protect food safety.

[Zong-Sheng Tsai, Chief Prosecutor of the Tainan District Prosecutor's Office, was having a speech.]

Deng-Maw Lu, President of STUST, said that this forum would discuss food fraud from a professional and objective perspective. It was hoped that the valuable opinions of industry, government and academia would be gathered into a consensus to assist the food industry in continuous hygiene management and self-management. STUST will uphold the social responsibility of the university and continue to assist the the Bureau of Health, Tainan City Government, to jointly build food safety in Fucheng, so that consumers can eat with peace of mind, and maintain Tainan's reputation as a gourmet city.