Taiwanese Health Minister Chiu Wen-ta resigns over 'gutter oil' scandal

Taiwan's health minister, Chiu Wen-ta, resigned last night over one of the biggest food scandals to rock the island and Hong Kong.

His resignation came hours after Taiwanese prosecutors charged eight people over sales of recycled waste oil.

Chiu apologised to the public over the scandal.

He said there were no more tainted products on shop shelves and those allegedly involved in the scandal had been charged.

"I promised that I would not stay on after all my responsibilities had been met so I announce my resignation and return to my neurosurgery post and medical education career," he said.

Earlier, the Pingtung Prosecutors Office announced that eight people, including bosses of Taiwanese cooking oil company Chang Guann, had been formally charged with supplying cooking oil contaminated with "gutter oil", a product recycled from food waste and leather processing.