A number of ministries, including education and emergency management, and the National Cultural Heritage Administration, have responded to issues of public concern.

Schools must ensure safety of food served

The Ministry of Education has called for further efforts to ensure safe food for schoolchildren who are covered by the country's nutrition improvement plan in the wake of several food-poisoning incidents involving a large number of students.

In an emergency notice released on Friday, the ministry required local education departments to organize thorough food-safety check of schools covered in the plan.

They will prioritize sanitary conditions at school canteens, condition of food and flavorings as well as potential problems in safety management procedures.

Schools should strictly implement the laws and rules on food safety, continue to improve their food-safety management, and modify their contingency plans for food-safety issues, the notice said.

The ministry also called for better supervision over food suppliers, improved disinfection of tableware, and more frequent regular checks.

School principals and teachers are required to dine with the students, and a system of food-safety checks must be established covering the purchasing, transport, storage and processing of food at the canteens, the notice said. It also required safety checks of school water sources.

The notice said that the crowded environments in primary schools and middle schools make food safety a major issue that cannot be overlooked, and the lingering high temperatures also make it easy for pathogenic microorganisms to multiply, which increases the chances of food poisoning.