Tainan City lunch box food inspection uncovered violations, sulfur dioxide in dried bamboo shoots exceeded 20 times the standard, and fines were issued

Tainan City lunch box food inspection uncovers violations! The Nanshi Health Bureau cooperated with the Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's annual lunch box food factory and manufacturing inspection project, and inspected 9 operators within its jurisdiction, and randomly inspected 27 finished lunch box products, semi-finished products and pork raw materials. As a result, one semi-finished product "dried bamboo shoots" was found to have excessive sulfur dioxide. Another 4 operators found deficiencies and failed to complete the improvements after the deadline. A total of 280,000 yuan was fined according to the law.

The Health Bureau stated that the unqualified dried bamboo shoots contained 0.631 g/kg of sulfur dioxide, and the limit standard was 0.03 g/kg, exceeding the standard by more than 20 times. It was found that the source of the products was from suppliers in other counties and cities, and the products were transferred to the health authorities where the suppliers were located for handling according to law. The remaining 26 randomly tested products were in compliance with regulations.

Business inspection items include food good hygiene practices (GHP), food safety control system (HACCP), food business registration, food traceability and tracking, and the setting up of specialized professional technicians or health management personnel. The GHP and food business registration of 9 operators all complied with the regulations, but 4 of them were found to have deficiencies in HACCP, electronic declaration of food traceability and tracking, and the setting up of specialized professional and technical personnel or health management personnel. After the deadline for improvement, the conditions were still not completed. A total of 280,000 yuan was fined, and real improvements were required.

Health Director Li Cuifeng said that meal box food involves many links from raw material acceptance, pre-processing, cooking, cooling, packaging to distribution. Business operators should implement independent food safety management and do a good job in raw material sources, process hygiene, temperature control, personnel hygiene and food traceability.

The Health Bureau also reminded that businesses that are required to establish HACCP by law should implement relevant control measures and regularly review the implementation of the system. The Health Bureau will continue to use inspections and random inspections to strengthen the management of lunch box food businesses and reduce food safety risks.