South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety inspects school meal facilities

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) conducted intensive inspections of 37,500 locations to prevent food poisoning for the autumn semester. The scope included kindergarten and school meal facilities, food ingredient suppliers, and food vendors within child food safety protection zones.

The inspections, carried out between August 24 and September 11 in cooperation with local governments and education offices, resulted in 14 violations of the Food Sanitation Act. The most frequent violation was the storage of products past their expiration dates, accounting for nine cases. Other violations included inadequate workplace cleanliness, failure to store preserved meals, and improper facility management regarding pest control.

Additionally, laboratory testing of 1,609 samples—including prepared foods, utensils, and agricultural products—revealed two non-compliant items. One finished product failed bacterial count standards, and one agricultural product exceeded residual pesticide limits for the fungicide prosimidone. The MFDS has requested administrative actions for the violators and plans to re-inspect the collective meal service facilities within six months to ensure improvements.