China issues work plan to strengthen food safety in kindergartens and schools

Chinese authorities released on Friday a work plan for nationwide inspections aimed at strengthening food safety in kindergartens and schools to further improve campus meal safety and prevent problems from resurfacing.

The inspection will cover canteens at kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, as well as contracted catering operators and off-campus meal suppliers. Authorities will also inspect major suppliers of food ingredients used in campus meal services, according to the plan jointly issued by the State Council's Food Safety Office, the Ministry of Education and the State Administration for Market Regulation.

The inspection aims to strengthen food safety protections for students and staff members while ensuring that institutions fully implement their legal responsibilities for food safety management.

According to the plan, inspections will focus on whether schools enforce the accountability system for principals, as well as the implementation of the meal accompaniment system, under which school leaders or teachers dine with students to oversee food quality and safety.

Inspections will review key areas of food safety management, including the control of raw food materials, oversight of food processing procedures, cleaning and disinfection of tableware, and sanitation of kitchen and dining environments.

Authorities will conduct comprehensive checks on how schools fulfill their food safety responsibilities, identify potential risks and eliminate hazards in a timely manner. Illegal or non-compliant behavior will face tougher penalties to create a strong deterrent.

The plan also calls on local governments to strengthen supervision by targeting weak links in school food safety systems and adopting new technologies, including integrating internet-based tools with artificial intelligence to improve regulatory efficiency.