□ Ma Shujuan
Recently, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Market Supervision issued the "Internet Catering Service Catering Safety Management Specification" (hereinafter referred to as the "Specification"), which proposes detailed, specific and process-based standard requirements for Beijing online catering service providers, delivery personnel, and platforms, covering the network. All aspects of food service packaging, distribution and so on.
If required, such sealing methods as take-out packaging seals or disposable sealing outer packaging bags should be used. At the same time, catering safety during public health events such as epidemics of infectious diseases and other emergency events are also regulated.
With the rapid development of the online catering service industry and the continuous acceleration of the pace of life of ordinary people, ordering takeaway has become the standard of life for many people.
Statistics show that as of June 2021, the number of takeaway users in my country has reached 469 million, and the market size of the takeaway industry has exceeded 660 billion yuan.
The safety of online catering involves multiple links such as source production and mid-way distribution, among which the safety of distribution links is quite concerned by consumers.
Previously, bad behaviors such as spitting and adding dirt to the meals were reported from time to time for various reasons. Although the perpetrators were eventually punished, it also reflected that the safety of the takeaway food was ensured. Not only must there be severe punishment afterwards, but also various loopholes must be plugged at the front end.
The "Specifications" issued by Beijing this time clearly require that take-out packaging seals or single-use sealing outer packaging should be used, and the seals should not be able to be restored after opening.
Such regulations can not only effectively prevent take-out food from being manually opened for stealing food during delivery, but also can greatly reduce the potential risk of contamination.
Especially in the context of the raging new crown pneumonia epidemic, the use of standard take-out seals can also effectively reduce public health and safety risks.
It can be said that the implementation of take-out seals is a powerful measure to block major loopholes in the delivery process at a small cost and ensure the safety of take-out food.
Similar measures are currently being implemented in Zhejiang and other places.
Food is food to safety first.
It is expected that the takeaway seal will become a standard in the takeaway industry, and it will be fully used and used in a standardized manner.
Of course, other measures are needed to ensure the safety of take-out food. Regulatory authorities, take-out platforms, merchants, industry associations and other parties should continue to establish and improve more practical and operable institutional mechanisms based on practice to ensure the online catering industry. More standardized, consumers eat more at ease.