The issue of toxic starch and industrial raw materials has left me struggling with where to begin for quite some time. There is simply too much shock, heartbreak, and confusion. I think I’ll open with the lines: “We are also victims” and “We were unaware.”
In recent years, whenever large corporations encounter scandals, the first words out of their PR departments are almost always: “We are innocent,” “We are the victims,” “We didn’t know,” or “We will sue our upstream suppliers for damages.”
Looking at it this way, these major enterprises seem incredibly aggrieved. They spent money on toxic raw materials, which not only damaged their reputation but also might lead to several thousand dollars in fines. Fortunately for them, the laws in the Republic of China (R.O.C.) allow these companies to claim these losses as damages against their suppliers.
But what about the honest, ordinary citizens who actually consumed the toxic food? Scant mention is ever made of them.
It is paradoxical that these large corporations, which possess vast resources, are as naive as infants when it comes to trusting their raw material suppliers without question. Especially following the previous plasticizer (DEHP) scandal, many of these giants still failed to implement rigorous raw material screening. Honestly, I find the “victim” narrative to be nothing more than sophistry.
To the innocent consumers, these large corporations are, in fact, the perpetrators.
Every time such an incident occurs, one can’t help but wonder why these corporations refuse to invest in proper oversight. Take I-Mei Foods as an example; their food testing laboratory has gained significant public recognition since the plasticizer storm. Even though there were traces of manipulation in the recent news regarding I-Mei’s expired ingredients, the public generally maintains a high level of trust in them.
This all comes down to basic business ethics.
The reality is this: even if a company chooses not to establish its own laboratory like I-Mei, it has an obligation to conduct frequent, periodic testing on its products and raw materials. This is a cost that no leading listed food company has any excuse to skip. These enterprises are responsible for the health of an entire nation.
If it were possible, I would advocate for charging these malicious raw material suppliers—and the “victims” who aren’t innocent at all—with treason.