School canteens open kitchens for public supervision

About 84 percent of schools with canteens have opened their kitchens for public supervision, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE) at a press conference Tuesday.

School canteens have followed the lead of catering businesses in showing customers food processing conditions by opening large windows and publishing CCTV footage from their kitchens, said a ministry press release at a press conference held in Zhuhai city of south China's Guangdong Province.

The total number of schools opening their canteen kitchens for public supervision reached 318,600 by Oct 14, the ministry statement said.

Schools are also encouraged to livestream their kitchen operations so as to enhance oversight from students, faculty, parents and regulatory agencies.

In an inspection operation covering about 631,000 school canteens, school meal providers, grocery stores and restaurants near schools in September, 496 unlicensed food operators were closed down and about 11,400 received warnings.

The inspection was jointly initiated by the MOE, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

In the next stage, the inspection will aim to upgrade the environment of school canteens, dormitories, classrooms, toilets and playgrounds, with food safety and sanitation as priorities, the ministry said.