Gyeonggi-do Conducts Hygiene Inspections of School and Kindergarten Meals and Nearby Restaurants... Over 10,000 Locations

The joint inspection team of Gyeonggi Province is conducting hygiene inspections on businesses around schools.

Gyeonggi Province, in collaboration with the Office of Education and city/county governments, will conduct hygiene inspections at about 10,000 locations including school and kindergarten group cafeterias, and establishments that prepare and sell children’s favorite foods in response to the new school term.

By the 22nd of this month, the province will first inspect 1,365 school group cafeterias, 600 kindergarten group cafeterias, and 219 food supply companies near schools, focusing on ▲use and storage of products past their expiration (or distribution) dates ▲unsanitary food handling ▲use of spoiled, deteriorated, or unlabeled ingredients ▲hygiene of utensils cleaning and disinfection ▲and storage of preserved foods.

Cooking utensils and prepared foods for school meals will be collected and tested to check for contamination by food poisoning bacteria. Guidance on prevention methods and actions regarding norovirus, a food poisoning bacterium, will also be provided.

Additionally, by the 30th of this month, joint hygiene inspections will be conducted at 895 establishments that prepare and sell children’s favorite foods within child food safety protection zones, including school stores and snack shops around schools and academies.

The main inspection items include ▲use and storage of products past their expiration (or distribution) dates ▲hygiene management of cooking facilities ▲sale of high-calorie, low-nutrition foods and foods containing high caffeine ▲and sale of foods detrimental to emotional health.

The province will carry out collection tests and hygiene management campaigns for children’s favorite foods that raise concerns.

A provincial official emphasized, "In preparation for the new school term, related agencies will participate in joint guidance and inspections to create a safe food sales environment and prevent food poisoning. We will do our best to ensure safe meals and food sales environments for residents, especially children and adolescents."