Nghe An will inspect collective kitchens in schools.

The Department of Education and Training has just issued a document on strengthening food safety in schools in Nghe An.

This is the latest directive after an incident.poisoningA serious school shooting in Nha Trang city left one student dead and hundreds of students hospitalized.

Accordingly, to strengthen the work of ensuring food safety and preventing food poisoning in schools in the province, the Department of Education and Training requires the Department of Education and Training of districts, cities and towns; units under the Department to strengthen the communication work to disseminate knowledge about food safety and foodborne diseases for schools, especially schools with semi-boarding and boarding kitchens.

Preparing meals for students at Nghi Phu 2 Primary School. Photo: My Ha

In addition, the Department requireskitchenSchools must strictly comply with legal regulations on food safety conditions for hygiene of facilities, equipment, tools, and practices of food processing personnel. At the same time, strictly implement regulations on 3-step food inspection, food sample storage, and strict control of input materials. People directly involved in food processing must strictly comply with regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control.

Schools also need to regularly inspect and monitor food safety in collective kitchens. In addition, local authorities and functional agencies also need to take the lead in inspecting and monitoring food service establishments and street food in the area around schools. Promptly warn of products and establishments that do not ensure food safety so that schools can inform parents and students.

The Department reminds schools to strictly control products and foods that are given away for free or in product introduction programs, advertisements, and gifts carried out by organizations and individuals in schools and surrounding areas. If there are food safety incidents and food poisoning, it is necessary to coordinate with the local health sector to develop plans and measures to handle them quickly and effectively.

Regarding food safety, in early November, the Department of Health also reported the results of monitoring school canteens in the localities of Hung Nguyen, Nam Dan, Do Luong, Thanh Chuong, Dien Chau, Yen Thanh, Nghi Loc, Que Phong, Nghia Dan, Quy Hop, Quynh Luu, Thai Hoa town, Cua Lo town, Hoang Mai town and Vinh city. Thereby, it shows that, of the 44 monitored school canteens, 22/44 facilities met the standards (accounting for 50%). The remaining 22 facilities still have some conditions that do not ensure food safety.

The organization of collective kitchens must comply with regulations. Photo: Thanh Chung

To continue to do a good job of ensuring safety for collective kitchens, right after the end of the monitoring period, on November 10, 2022, the Nghe An Food Safety Department issued Decision No. 177/QD-ATTP on food safety inspection for collective kitchens at schools and hospitals in Nghe An province in 2022. Accordingly, 8 school collective kitchens will be inspected during this period; at the same time, the Food Safety Department will also coordinate to inspect a number of canteens of universities and colleges located in the area.

My Ha - Thanh Chung