All agricultural products supplied to school meals in Busan have passed safety inspections. The results come as parental concerns rise ahead of the new semester, suggesting the food safety management system for institutional cafeterias is functioning properly.
The Busan Institute of Health and Environment announced Wednesday that all 20 samples of produce delivered to institutional cafeterias, including schools, met safety standards following inspections conducted ahead of the new semester.
The inspections covered agricultural products collected over five days from Feb. 9 to 13. The institute conducted detailed analyses of 480 pesticide residue items and heavy metals including lead and cadmium, focusing on items frequently used in institutional cafeterias.
The samples included 14 vegetable items such as lettuce, spinach, green onions, and cabbage; two mushroom varieties including king oyster and shiitake; one potato sample; two rice samples; and one bean sprout sample. All samples showed pesticide residues and heavy metals within permissible limits.
Beyond regular inspections, the institute operates a year-round monitoring system in cooperation with three eco-friendly produce meal support centers located in Gijang-gun, Gangseo-gu, and Geumjeong-gu. Over the past year, 195 eco-friendly certified produce items—152 pesticide-free and 43 organic—supplied through these centers to approximately 600 kindergartens, elementary, middle, high, and special education schools in Busan were all found to meet safety standards.
The institute plans to continue seasonal targeted inspections reflecting produce consumption trends and seasonal risk factors. It aims to strengthen preemptive testing before school starts to prevent substandard ingredients from entering schools.
"The new semester is a critical period when students' nutritional intake is concentrated, making food safety a non-negotiable principle," said Lee Yong-joo, director of the institute. "We will thoroughly inspect ingredients distributed to institutional cafeterias to create a healthy meal environment."