Taichung City Government (TCG) has been making continuous efforts to ensure food security and sanitation in the City. In the food sanitation self-management assessment organized by TCG’s Health Bureau, a total of 180 large scale catering service providers received Outstanding Achievement Medals. Deputy Mayor Lin Yi-Ying presented today (23rd) the certificates to the five winners of the “Extraordinary Achievement Award”, including Tokiya, Taichung. Lin cited these vendors as role models for the industry and encouraged more companies to take part in establishing the food safety network.
The pilot project for the food sanitation self-management assessment was initiated in 2015. The project was expanded and formally launched this year, of which the assessments were made focusing on four major aspects including environmental sanitation, food material safety, personnel quality and control of production process. The event was participated in by 201 large-scale catering service providers (those with a service area of more than 300 sq. ft.) After onsite evaluation and panel review meetings, a total of 180 service providers have received the Outstanding Achievement Medals, including 5 “Extraordinary Achievements”, 127 “Excellent Achievements” and 48 “Good Achievements”.
The awards ceremony and result presentation, organized by the Health Bureau, were held today in Taichung City Hall on Taiwan Boulevard. Deputy Mayor Lin and Director of the Health Bureau Lu Tsung-hsueh jointly presented the certificates and good achievement medal stickers to the awardees. Councilor Liu Shih-chou also expressed his congratulations on the event. Deputy Mayor Lin recognized the efforts of the service providers in improving food sanitation and invited the five winners of the Extraordinary Achievement Medals to share their best practices. It is hoped that this initiative would inspire more service providers to participate in the efforts and to collaboratively protect the health and interests of food consumers.
Deputy Mayor Lin indicated that self-management by service providers is the key for facilitating food and nutrition initiatives. Participants to the program are expected to achieve excellence in food material, culinary arts, as well as the dining environment. She congratulated the 180 service providers who have successfully withstood severe tests and recognized them as role models in the food industry and representatives of ethical business in Taichung City.
She further pointed out that Dr. Lin Chia-lung, the Mayor of Taichung City, has been committed to improving food security. Despite the stringent financial condition and the manpower-reduction policies of the government, Mayor Lin has injected even more resources into maintaining food security. In addition to raising the school lunch budget by NT$5, he is also devoted to enhancing the quality of school lunch to improve the nutrition of school children. The Taichung City Government, in the meantime, is preparing for establishing a Food Safety Department, aiming to make Taichung healthier and more liveable city through the collaborative efforts of the government and all private sectors.
According to the Health Bureau, the assessment on food sanitation self-management emphasized on the close and integrated control of four major aspects: environmental sanitation, food material security, personnel quality and control of production process. The purpose is to ensure that the qualified service providers can maintain the Good Health Practices (GHP) all the time. The name of service providers who have successfully passed the assessment will be announced. By increasing the public exposure of these “Outstanding Achievement” award winners, the authority endeavors to maintain a high standard in food safety and sanitation, protect the consumers and elevate the quality of the food and catering services.
The five winners of the “Extraordinary Achievements Award” include Wowprime Corp.; Tokiya Taiwan Boulevard Shop; Top of ONE, Hotel ONE; Umai Barbecue, Wenxin Store; Windsor Café of Windsor Hotel; and Din Tai Fung Taichung Store. The Health Bureau stated that these restaurants were considered role models of the industry because of their unique practices in managing the safety of food material, product process control, environmental hygiene control and development of good sanitation professionals.