Taipei: The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) on Monday demanded accountability in a recent case involving soybean oil with excessive benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) levels. The KMT emphasized that those responsible for delayed reporting, withholding information, or supervisory failures should be held accountable.According to Focus Taiwan, KMT legislative caucus Secretary-General Lin Pei-hsiang urged the Cabinet to disclose details regarding the quantity of soybean oil that failed safety inspections and was stored at Central Union Oil Corp. Lin also demanded to know the distribution trail of the oil, including whether it was sealed, recalled, or destroyed. Lin further questioned when the Cabinet and the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) first became aware of the issue and why it was not fully disclosed at a food safety briefing.The controversy arose after accusations that state-owned Taiwan Sugar Corp. (Taisugar) knew as early as May about the problematic oil from Central Union but returned it to the supplier without no tifying authorities. However, Taisugar clarified in a statement that it never took delivery of or used the crude soybean oil in question because samples tested before purchase failed safety inspections. As a result, Taisugar claimed it was not obligated to report the matter. Hsu Yu-chen, KMT caucus deputy secretary-general, highlighted that the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) requires food businesses to report any potential food safety risks, with violators facing fines under the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation.Hsu called on the Ministry of Health and Welfare to clarify whether the TFDA's reporting standards apply to Taisugar. If applicable, Hsu argued that the case should be investigated per the law. The contamination was revealed in late June when Central Union's soybean-based cooking oil was found to contain excessive BaP levels, affecting over 13,000 businesses across Taiwan.Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang criticized the government's handling of the issue, sugg esting the government failed to disclose Taisugar's discoveries about Central Union's oil. He accused the government of using legal loopholes to shield Taisugar from responsibility.In a Facebook post, the MOEA defended Taisugar, stating the company was also a victim in the case. The ministry emphasized that Taisugar tests samples from suppliers before accepting deliveries and only takes possession of raw materials after confirming they meet safety standards. Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin stated that Taisugar was only a buyer and that local governments are responsible for inspections and regulatory enforcement. He suggested more frequent inspections could have prevented the incident.