A must-read for the start of the school year! Don’t let your children stray into these food “traps” around campus →

Dear parents and students, the horn of the new semester is about to sound, and campus life will be lively again. Are you all impatient? If you want to talk about the most anticipated moment in campus life, the ringing of the school bell is definitely one of them! "Ding-ling-ling..." This sound is like a magical command, instantly igniting the enthusiasm of the students and forming a different scene outside the campus. I believe that the following scene is not uncommon to everyone, that is, the students are like unbridled ponies, rushing towards the small shops, snack bars, and mobile vendors around the school. The shouts and laughter of "I want cold noodles, fried skewers, spicy strips, milk tea" are intertwined, and the scene is so lively!

However, there are many health risks hidden in these places. Do you want to know how to avoid these "traps" and protect the health of children? Don't worry, I will tell you about it below.

Image source: Pixabay

What are the food safety risks around campus?

1. Some vendors do not have health permits, food safety is not guaranteed, and management is chaotic or non-existent. The production and operation environment of food vendors is unsanitary, lacking fly-proof, dust-proof and disinfection equipment, which can easily cause bacteria to be carried and breed.

2. Most of the mobile vendors do not have health certificates and do not pay attention to hygiene during the food production process, which can easily lead to the spread of pathogens.

3. Restaurants and mobile vendors around schools sell low-quality junk food, three-no food, and food with unknown sources. The quality cannot be guaranteed, and basic information such as production date and shelf life is difficult to determine. Some food producers have a weak legal awareness or pursue profit maximization, illegally adding chemicals and harmful substances; repeated use of oil (such as fried skewers) may produce carcinogens, which seriously affect the physical health and intellectual development of young people.

4. Food sold around schools is mostly exposed and easily corroded by microorganisms in the environment. For example, various rice noodles, noodles, steamed buns, and other cooked rice and flour products that are cooked by cold, steamed, or boiled methods are easily contaminated by a foodborne pathogen called "Bacillus cereus." Although Bacillus cereus is a conditional pathogen, it can also cause disease when its number is large enough [1]. In addition, there are fungi, common pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella), norovirus, etc., which means that if students eat contaminated food, they will cause foodborne diseases.

5. The proliferation of “50-cent foods”, low-priced spicy snacks, puffed foods, and high-salt and high-sugar foods that use food additives beyond the scope and limit[2], can have adverse effects on children’s metabolism.

6. There are many food business outlets around schools and they are widely distributed. In addition, some mobile vendors have high mobility, making it difficult for regulatory authorities to carry out comprehensive and timely supervision. Inadequate supervision may occur, which may allow some foods that do not meet food safety standards to enter the market.

How to choose safe and reliable food?

1. Choose a regular shopping place. Choosing the right place to buy food is the first step to food safety. Regular large supermarkets, shopping malls and stores with regular business licenses often have strict food procurement and management systems. They will screen suppliers to ensure that the food they sell is from a reliable source.

2. Learn to read food labels. Food labels are like the "identity card" of food, and it is very important to understand them. Food labels must include: product name, ingredient list, net content, factory name, product standard number, etc.

3. Pay attention to two dates. The production date and shelf life of food are key information to determine whether the food is safe to eat. The production date is the date when the food becomes the final product, and the shelf life refers to the period during which the food maintains its quality and safety under specified storage conditions. When purchasing food, be sure to check these two dates carefully to avoid buying expired food.

4. Identify promotional advertisements. Nowadays, food advertisements are everywhere, and the various tempting slogans are dazzling. However, some advertisements may exaggerate or mislead consumers. For example, foods that claim to be "zero additives" may only have a certain ingredient that is not added, not that there are no additives at all; foods that are advertised as "pure natural" do not necessarily mean that they are healthier and safer. In the face of these advertisements, we must remain rational and not be confused by the gorgeous words. The key is to look at the actual ingredients and quality of the food.

⚠ Foods that are incomplete in terms of production license, production date, expiration date, manufacturer name and address, and whose origin is unknown are considered “three-no” foods and should never be purchased.

Mastering these methods of choosing safe food can make us more comfortable when buying food and protect children's dietary health. Let us start from every shopping and every bite of food to lay a solid foundation for the healthy future of our children.

[1] Wang Ermei, Chen Baolin, Cheng Shi, Gao Shuhan, Fan Ping. Analysis of food microbial contamination in and around Changzhou campuses[J]. Food Safety Guide, 2024(26):13-15. DOI:10.16043/j.cnki.cfs.2024.26.051.

[2] Han Jiaqi, Liu Jianyang, Zhang Zichen, Zhu Aiguo. Analysis of food safety risks around campus[J]. Food Safety Guide, 2019(25):69-71. DOI:10.16043/j.cnki.cfs.2019.25.022.

Source: Zhongxian Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Author: Xie Jinhua, Chief Technician, Chongqing Zhongxian Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Review expert: Yan Qiong, deputy chief physician, Chongqing Zhongxian Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Statement: Except for original content and special notes, some pictures are from the Internet. They are not for commercial purposes and are only used as popular science materials. The copyright belongs to the original authors. If there is any infringement, please contact us to delete them.