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One in three school canteens fails hygiene tests

12:43 02/09/2013

More than one-third of Belgian school canteens fail to meet food hygiene standards, L’Avenir reports today. In 2012 the Federal Agency for Food Safety (AFSCA) inspected 1,316 schools where meals are served; in total, 35% of schools had insufficient hygiene levels. "Food hygiene standards in Belgian schools are on a par with those in other establishments we inspect, such as hospitals," said AFSCA  spokesman Jean-Paul Denuit. The most common offences are unhygienic practices of staff handling food (hair worn loose, dirty nails...),dirty worktops and not maintaining food at the correct temperature. In cases deemed extremely serious, the agency may seek the immediate closure of the canteen. In 2012, 479 warnings were issued, along with 12 serious offences and six food seizures.

Written by The Bulletin