Hanoi School Returns 'Unfresh' Food for Student Lunches

Parents and the school at Le Trong Tan Primary School in Yen Nghia ward, Hanoi, demanded the return of food supplies on September 11 after discovering issues with the freshness of shrimp and chicken intended for student lunches. According to parents, some shrimp showed signs of spoilage, and the chicken had an unusual odor. These food items were packaged in plastic bags with origin labels and barcodes. The school immediately refused to accept the food and requested the supplier to provide replacements to ensure students received their lunch on time. In a report released yesterday, the Yen Nghia Ward People's Committee stated that the contractor responsible for the school's lunches sources chicken and shrimp from two different companies, both of which have contracts and invoices for traceability. Following an inspection, the authorities confirmed that some food items "did not meet quality standards." Consequently, the contractor was instructed to terminate their contract with the current food supplier and find a new source. They were also required to improve hygiene in the preparation and processing areas, utensils, ensure timely and safe delivery of food to the two school branches, and use appropriate transportation methods. Le Trong Tan Primary School comprises a main campus and two branches, located 2-4 km apart. The kitchen is at the main campus, and food is transported to the branches. To enhance safety, the school plans to establish an additional processing kitchen at Branch I starting September 18. This incident at Le Trong Tan Primary School is part of a series of issues concerning student lunches in Hanoi during the first week of the new academic year. Parents at Trung Gia Primary School complained about the meager portion sizes relative to the 40,000 VND (approximately $1.60) meal fee. Meanwhile, schools like Kim Bai, Nguyen Quy Duc, and Duc Giang Primary Schools have reported lunch deliveries being delayed by 2-3 hours. Over 633,000 primary school students in Hanoi (both public and private) currently receive a daily allowance of 28,000-40,000 VND for their lunches, an increase of 8,000 VND compared to the previous academic year. In response to these ongoing problems, city leadership has urged all units to strengthen inspections and supervision, and to enhance professionalism in organizing and managing student lunches to ensure the policy is implemented effectively, guaranteeing nutrition and food safety. Information source: VnExpress