Two and a half months after Taiwan's Chung Lien carcinogenic oil scandal, public confidence in the government's food safety oversight remains very low — bad news for the governing team.

• In the latest poll, 43% say Premier Cho Jung-tai does not need to resign over the affair, while 41% say he should step down, an almost even split.
• Nearly seven in ten are worried about eating contaminated oil when dining out, and more than half are dissatisfied with the speed of the government's investigations and product recalls.
• The government has decided that foods in which the carcinogenic oil content does not exceed 20% may still be sold; 63% of the public oppose this and only 20% support it.
• Nearly half believe the Cabinet needs a reshuffle, well ahead of those who say it does not; 87% call for heavy fines and heavy sentences for offending companies and the individuals responsible.
• Food safety anxiety cuts across party lines: even supporters of the ruling party are uneasy, and the share of unaffiliated voters who are dissatisfied approaches 60%.

Outlook: Pressure for a Cabinet reshuffle and a review of food safety regulations will not ease in the short term, and the government may be forced to revisit its decision on the shelf standard.