Crisis Response and Supervision System for Food Security: A Comparative Analysis between Mainland China and Taiwan
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
2.1. Concept of Food Security
2.2. Crisis Response and Supervision System for Food Security
3. Methods: Comparative Analysis Approach and Qualitative Research Method
4. Food Security Situation and Supervision Issues in Mainland China
4.1. Situation of Food Security in Mainland China
4.2. Issues for Food Security Supervision in Mainland China
5. Food Security Situation and Supervision Issues in Taiwan
5.1. Situation of Food Security in Taiwan
5.2. Issues for Food Security Supervision in Taiwan
6. Comparison of Food Security Status and Supervision Issues in Mainland China and Taiwan
7. Discussion and Suggestions
7.1. Suggestions for Food Security in Mainland China
7.2. Suggestions for Food Security in Taiwan
7.3. Implications
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Situation | Description |
---|---|
The security situation of agricultural products and poultry products is worrying. | Harmful residues, such as fertilizers and pesticides, antibiotics, and other harmful substances, excessive heavy metals, etc., exist in agricultural products. |
There are potential security hazards in the production, processing, and marketing of agricultural products, which can easily cause secondary food poisoning and foodborne diseases. | Due to inadequate supervision, production, processing, and marketing places often become the transmission centers of infectious diseases. |
Food poisoning and foodborne diseases occur from time to time. | 1. The “Sanlu poisonous milk powder” incident in 2008 that resulted in 14 newborns suffering from urolithiasis; 2. The “Shuanghui lean meat powder” incident in 2011; 3. The “Vitamin C Yinqiao tablets of Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals containing highly toxic substances” case in 2013. 4. According to the statistics of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, the frequent occurrence of food poisoning and foodborne diseases poses a serious threat to food security in 2019. |
The technological achievements and technical reserves of food security are inadequate. | The key detection technologies of foodborne hazards and food security control technologies in Mainland China are lagging behind those in developed areas such as Taiwan. |
Situation | Description |
---|---|
Responded decisively and quickly to the plasticizer incident. | Taiwan responded decisively and quickly to the plasticizer incident, which took only three months to subside in 2011. |
A series of food security incidents broke out. | “Organic rice mixing low-price imported rice”, “poisonous starch”, “tainted oil”, and “poisonous milk” also shook Taiwanese people’s confidence in their food security in 2013. |
Difference | Mainland China | Taiwan |
---|---|---|
Time point of food security accidents | The problem was found only when patients appeared. Food security accidents resulted in bad effects and serious consequences. | Poisonous and harmful food was reported by the public before it caused serious casualties. |
Penalty intensity | The criminal law of the mainland is more stringent and the penalties heavier, but for the administrative penalty, enterprise food security information is not disclosed. | Taiwan’s criminal law has not been amended and does not meet the requirements of the times. The level of penalty is too light, and there is collusion between the government and businesses. |
Public response | It is relatively difficult for public opinion to create pressure. | The public response is intense and can generate strong public opinion pressure, but social network and social media rumors spread. |
Scope of problem | Since the beginning of the 21st century, food security issues have been widespread, with numerous categories and a high frequency of outbreaks. | Food security incidents have occurred frequently in the last decade, but the severity is much lower than in Mainland China. |
Social and economic conditions | Mainland China is currently a developing region, with economic development as the central task, so it is inevitable that some manufacturers with low social morality will only care about their interests, regardless of risk to life. | Taiwan is relatively developed with a relatively better quality of life and fewer food security incidents than Mainland China. |
Social system | As it implements the socialist system with Chinese characteristics, it is vulnerable to the impact of the market economy, which leads to money-oriented food producers and processors. | With the implementation of the capitalist social system, utilitarianism is rampant, and companies are easily driven by profits. |
Legislative branch | The legislative branch is the National People’s Congress (NPC). The establishment of new laws and the revision of old laws take a long time, which hinders the thorough eradication of food security issues. | The legislative branch is the Legislative Yuan; the law-passing rate and number have greatly increased recently, but the law on food security still needs to be amended. |
Inspection and testing measures | Food security testing systems are duplicated, the testing system is not perfect, and the testing standards are confusing (provincial, prefectural, and municipal standards are different). | CAS Good Food System, GMP Certification System, Processed Food Traceability System, Food Consumption Traffic Light System, Food Recycling System. |
Attitudes towards informers | Informers do not receive corresponding personal security protection. | The government helps informers of illegal acts by keeping their identities secret, protecting their personal security through legislation, and through an incentive system to encourage consumers to report substandard food actively. |
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Ma, C.-C.; Chen, H.-S.; Chang, H.-P. Crisis Response and Supervision System for Food Security: A Comparative Analysis between Mainland China and Taiwan. Sustainability 2020, 12, 3045. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12073045
Ma C-C, Chen H-S, Chang H-P. Crisis Response and Supervision System for Food Security: A Comparative Analysis between Mainland China and Taiwan. Sustainability. 2020; 12(7):3045. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12073045
Chicago/Turabian StyleMa, Chun-Chieh, Han-Shen Chen, and Hsiao-Ping Chang. 2020. "Crisis Response and Supervision System for Food Security: A Comparative Analysis between Mainland China and Taiwan" Sustainability 12, no. 7: 3045. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12073045