China announces guideline to standardize ingredients procurement in school canteens

China has rolled out a guideline to standardize the procurement and inspection of bulk food ingredients in school canteens nationwide to strengthen the management of campus food safety.

The guideline, issued by the Ministry of Education and the State Administration for Market Regulation on Thursday, said schools are required to select qualified suppliers of bulk ingredients based on opinions from parents and faculty. Suppliers must possess legitimate business qualifications, ensure their product quality meets national standards, and have not been involved in any food safety incidents or placed on a serious dishonesty list within the last three years, it said.

The guideline mandates strict inspection procedures for procured ingredients to guarantee traceability and safety. The purchase of food and raw materials should adhere to principles of safety, health, and nutritional adequacy, with unqualified ingredients prohibited, it said.

A two-person or multi-person joint inspection mechanism is required during acceptance checks, which should be conducted collectively and transparently. Unqualified ingredients must be rejected or destroyed on the spot, with records kept accurately. The guideline encourages regions with the capability to establish digital platforms for bulk ingredient procurement and promote electronic management of documentation, the guideline said.

Schools must maintain detailed management archives and strengthen professional training for canteen staff to ensure food safety responsibilities are fulfilled, it said.

The guideline clarified the supervisory roles of the education and market regulation departments. Schools must implement a principal-responsibility system for campus food safety, include food safety in key meeting agendas, and hold at least one on-site meeting per semester in the canteen.

School leaders in primary and secondary schools and kindergartens should eat with students in canteens, upholding the public welfare and non-profit nature of school canteens and improving information disclosure regarding bulk ingredients, it added.