The Seoul City government announced on the 2nd that it will conduct a 'focused inspection of the distribution and sale of Chuseok essential foods' for 5,000 establishments until October 2, ahead of Chuseok.
Inspections on hygiene regarding agricultural, fishery, and livestock products and processed foods will take place from the 3rd to the 12th, while origin inspections will be conducted from the 15th until next month on the 2nd.
This inspection is due to the increased risk of food poisoning caused by the recent hot and humid weather, and reports of recalls and disposal of unsuitable foods. In July, food poisoning bacteria were found in seasoned dried fish, and in August, excess residual pesticides were detected in imported carrots.
In response, the Seoul City government is pushing for this inspection to alleviate consumers' fears about food safety ahead of Chuseok. The inspection will be conducted in a public-private partnership involving the Seoul government, autonomous districts, and consumer food hygiene inspectors.
The hygiene inspection targets manufacturing and sales establishments handling items that see increased demand during the holiday season, such as packaged meat, red ginseng health supplements, fruits, vegetables, fish, rice cakes, traditional sweets, and sesame oil. Restaurants that are at a high risk of food poisoning, such as those serving pancakes and raw fish, will also be included.
Key inspection items include: ▲unregistered food manufacturing and sales ▲storage and sale of products past their consumption date ▲unsanitary handling of food ▲lack of health checkups for employees ▲violations of preservation and distribution standards ▲misrepresentation of Hanwoo (Korean beef) grades and cuts ▲violations of the livestock history system.
The Seoul City government plans to take action such as administrative actions and fines in accordance with relevant laws when violations are detected. Unsuitable products will be immediately recalled and disposed of to prevent them from being circulated in the market.
Yang Gwang-sook, head of the food policy division of Seoul City, noted, "We will make efforts to create a safe food environment so that all citizens can enjoy a healthy and abundant Chuseok holiday with their families."