Pulmuone Faces Another Food Poisoning Scare in School and Kindergarten Bread Products

More than 100 Students Show Symptoms at Middle Schools and Kindergartens in Cheongju and Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province
Salmonella Detected in "High-Calcium Strawberry Cream Roll Cake" and "High-Calcium Korean Wheat Choco Banana Bread"
Another Mass Food Poisoning Incident After 2018, Raising Concerns Over Poor Management

Foodmerce, a subsidiary of Pulmuone that distributes food ingredients, has had its school meal bread products found to contain food poisoning bacteria, prompting health authorities to order a sales suspension and product recall. Foodmerce is a food distribution affiliate of Pulmuone, which promotes itself as an "eco-friendly and healthy food" company. As a result of this incident, the brand's credibility is expected to suffer significant damage.

On June 5, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that two products distributed and sold by Foodmerce?"High-Calcium Strawberry Cream Roll Cake" and "High-Calcium Korean Wheat Choco Banana Bread"?tested positive for the food poisoning bacterium Salmonella Enteritidis. These products were manufactured by Mother Goose, located in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, and have been identified as the cause of recent mass food poisoning outbreaks at middle schools and kindergartens in Cheongju and Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province.

Since May 20, more than 100 students at middle schools and kindergartens in Cheongju and Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, have shown symptoms suspected of food poisoning. Epidemiological investigations and tests by health authorities confirmed that both the patients and the implicated school meal products contained the identical genotype of Salmonella bacteria. In response, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, and local governments immediately halted the distribution of the two products and began recall procedures.

The recall targets 4,800 units of the "High-Calcium Strawberry Cream Roll Cake" and 23,040 units of the "High-Calcium Korean Wheat Choco Banana Bread." These products were distributed under Foodmerce's in-house food ingredient brand "Pulskitchen" and were supplied to more than 100 kindergartens and school cafeterias nationwide. An official from Anyang City stated, "The exact quantity to be recalled and the list of supply locations are still under investigation," adding, "Administrative penalties for the manufacturer and distributor will be decided later." Industry insiders expect both the manufacturer and distributor to face administrative penalties, likely including a one-month business suspension.

Foodmerce is a core subsidiary of Pulmuone Group, recording sales of 675.9 billion won and operating profit of 42.4 billion won last year. By emphasizing eco-friendly food, the company has secured schools and kindergartens nationwide as key clients. However, this incident is expected to damage Pulmuone's brand image. Even though the manufacturing was outsourced, it will be difficult for Pulmuone to avoid responsibility, as the products were supplied under its brand.

Foodmerce has experienced similar incidents in the past. In 2018, Salmonella bacteria were detected in the "Korean Wheat Choco Blossom Cake," leading to more than 2,000 students at 55 cafeterias nationwide showing symptoms of food poisoning. At that time, controversy also arose when it was revealed that the supplier of the contaminated products was affiliated with Pulmuone.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety urged, "Consumers who have purchased these products should immediately stop consuming them and return them to the place of purchase."