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In accordance with the decisions by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on epidemic prevention and control and food safety in schools, the Ministry of Education (MOE), the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Ministry of State Security (MSS) of China jointly issued a notice on March 26, coordinating arrangements on the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic, and food safety work on campuses for the spring semester.
The notice demands local government agencies related to market regulation, education and public security to implement accountability mechanisms by formulating programs and specific measures aimed at work on epidemic prevention and control, and food safety in schools for the spring semester.
Local government agencies related to market regulation and education will be expected to ensure that schools and school food providers comply with relevant requirements and ensure their preparedness and effectiveness in fulfilling their responsibilities in epidemic prevention and control. Mechanisms should ensure better food safety management and more regular food safety inspections, followed up by corrective measures, in accordance with laws and regulations on food safety. Schools and their food providers will be expected to closely monitor the health status of their employees, and maintain hygiene and sanitation standards in food production and serving areas, by introducing moist-heat or dry-heat sterilization equipment and ventilating work spaces regularly. They will also be required to perform comprehensive checks on raw materials used in their food supplies, while making sure that all food are cooked thoroughly and that raw and cooked foods are separated during preparation according to the Food Safety Manual for Operators of Food Services.
Local government agencies related to market regulation will be expected to exercise stricter and more frequent food safety inspections on and off campus, impose heavy sanctions in accordance with laws for any violation of relevant provisions and regulations, and transfer cases concerning suspected food safety crimes to the public security authorities in a timely fashion. Local education-related government agencies will be asked to reinforce food safety management on campus, and demand that schools (including kindergartens) adopt the principal accountability system and identify and eliminate food safety risks in their canteens. In addition, local public security authorities will be expected to promptly handle suspected cases of food safety crimes transferred by market regulation agencies and crack down on all criminal activities in relation to campus food safety by rigorous law enforcement.