Sendai City Employees Provide Expired Bread to Welfare Recipients
Quick Look
- It has been discovered that a welfare office employee in Sendai City was providing bread that was one day past its expiration date to a man receiving welfare.
- The staff member was aware that it had expired, but handed it over with the man's consent.
- The man complained of abdominal pain and diarrhea after eating.
AI-generated summary
In May, an employee at a welfare office in Sendai City was found to have provided bread that had passed its expiry date to a man on welfare, according to interviews with people involved. The staff member knew it had expired, but the man agreed and handed it over to him. The city has not admitted that there was a problem with its response, saying, ``We cannot deny the possibility that similar cases have occurred in the past,'' but experts have criticized it as ``inadequate.''
While the best-before date is considered a guideline for how long food can be eaten deliciously, the use-by date indicates the date when it is safe to eat, and it is said that it is better not to eat food that has passed its expiration date.
Sendai City is collaborating with food banks to provide free food to people in need. According to the city and other sources, the city received 10 pieces of bread in a plastic bag from a food bank on May 25, and handed the bread to the man at the Taihaku Ward Health and Welfare Center the following day, May 26. At that time, the staff member explained to the man that the expiration date was one day past, but the man took it home with him. The next day, on the 27th, the city received a call from a man who said, ``I ate the bread on the day I received it, but a few hours later I started having abdominal pain and diarrhea.''
In an interview with the Mainichi Shimbun, a city official said, ``Originally, it was desirable to dispose of the item, but we explained it to the person and obtained their consent, so it was not inappropriate.'' On the other hand, he said that he would "give consideration" to how the service will be provided in the future. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare says it is "not desirable."
Fuyuki Ishizaki (Tokyo Bar Association), a lawyer who specializes in food and drink-related legal matters, pointed out, ``There are safety risks, and even if there is consent, this is unacceptable.I think there is an underlying idea that it is okay to ignore the risks because they are in need.'' [Taishi Endo]
