Paju City to Inspect Hygiene of Lunar New Year Holiday Foods: "Ensuring a Safe Holiday Table"

Intensive Inspection of 34 Manufacturers and Sellers of Ritual Foods and Health Functional Foods Ahead of Lunar New Year

Paju City in Gyeonggi Province will conduct an intensive inspection of the hygiene management status of holiday season food products for five days from the 19th to the 23rd to ensure that citizens can purchase safe food during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday.

Paju City will conduct a focused inspection on the hygiene management of holiday seasonal foods for five days from the 19th to the 23rd to ensure that citizens can purchase safe food products for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday. Provided by Paju City

This inspection will target a total of 34 locations, including manufacturers and sellers of traditional Korean confections (Hangwa, Yakgwa), rice cakes, dumplings, and health functional foods such as red ginseng, which see a surge in demand as gifts or for ancestral rites during the holiday. It will also cover food service establishments that prepare and sell food for ancestral rites, such as pan-fried dishes and rice cakes.

The main inspection items include: ▲ whether expired food or ingredients not permitted for food use are being used ▲ the hygiene management status of manufacturing (cooking) facilities ▲ compliance with refrigeration and freezing standards for raw materials and finished products ▲ and whether any unlabeled ingredients are being used.

In particular, the city plans to collect four types of products-gift and ritual processed foods (including health functional foods) and prepared foods-for safety tests, including checks for food poisoning bacteria, in addition to the hygiene inspection.

For businesses found to be in violation as a result of the inspection, administrative measures will be taken in accordance with relevant laws, and any products deemed non-compliant will be promptly recalled and discarded to prevent their distribution in the market.

Jang Hyehyeon, Head of the Hygiene Division, stated, "We will strengthen pre-holiday inspections of high-demand seasonal foods to ensure food safety, so that citizens can enjoy a safe and pleasant holiday."