Analysis of the implementation of the certification of second-tier quality control in Taiwan food businesses and common non-conformities

The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration has implemented a three-tier quality control system to enhance food safety. This system includes self-management of food businesses, external certification, and government inspection. Ten categories of food businesses are required to comply with this system. By the end of 2023, over 90% of the food businesses successfully completed the second-tier certification. Statistical analysis revealed no significant correlation between non-conformity counts and factors such as capital amount, food industry type, or times of certifications. Non-conformity issues mainly arose from violations of good hygiene practices and discrepancies between the actual execution and the established hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system in food businesses. These issues, potentially due to a lack of hygiene and safety awareness among employees, will not cause an immediate hazard for the time being but allow for early identification of potential risks, thereby improving overall food safety.