Noryangjin and Gangseo Branches Receive Two Consecutive Warnings in Lunar New Year and Summer Hygiene Inspections
Japanese Sea Bream Labeled as Domestic and Expired Products Detected
[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] The 2020 hygiene inspection results of Suhyup Mart, operated by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives (Suhyup), revealed that the Noryangjin branch and Gangseo branch had the poorest hygiene management.
According to data received by Democratic Party lawmaker Inho Choi from Suhyup on the 22nd, Suhyup conducted hygiene management inspections twice in 2020?during the Lunar New Year holiday and the summer season?at 14 Suhyup Mart locations nationwide, identifying a total of 209 violations.
The most frequent issue was poor cleanliness of store floors and other areas with 62 cases (30%), followed by inadequate food management such as expiration dates with 53 cases (25%), insufficient document management including origin labeling with 37 cases (18%), poor operational management such as refrigeration temperature with 32 cases (15%), and poor personal hygiene such as not wearing hygiene caps with 25 cases (12%).
During hygiene inspections, Suhyup scores each branch, and if the score is below 70 points, it is considered to have a high risk of poor hygiene management and is given a warning grade. Four branches received warnings during the Lunar New Year inspection in 2020, and three branches received warnings during the summer inspection.
The Noryangjin and Gangseo branches received warning grades both times, indicating the poorest hygiene management. In particular, the Noryangjin branch scored 67.2 points during the 2020 Lunar New Year inspection but dropped to 57.8 points in the summer, ranking lowest and declining by 9.4 points.
Noted violations included labeling Japanese sea bream as domestic, storing tofu?which should be refrigerated?at room temperature, expired distribution dates on kanari fish sauce and stone crab soy sauce, and finding dead flies on the sales display shelves.
Lawmaker Choi criticized, "There is concern that Suhyup is conducting makeshift inspections and measures to avoid intensive crackdowns by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety during holidays or summer periods."
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