"Lotte Department Store to Intensify Food Hygiene Management to Prevent Summer Food Safety Incidents"

Lotte Central Research Institute Safety Center Collaboration
Summer Popular Item Collection Inspection and Equipment Hygiene Inspection
Food and Drug Administration-led 'Restaurant Hygiene Rating System' Certification Acquisition Activities
Technical Support and Education Enhancement for Non-certified Brands

A quality inspector is managing the hygiene of seafood products at the food hall of Lotte Department Store Main Branch.

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] Lotte Department Store announced on the 21st that it will conduct food hygiene management until September to ensure food safety during the summer season.

Lotte Department Store stated that it has established its own hygiene management system at a level stricter than the standards required by the Food Sanitation Act, following the 'Summer Food Management Manual' of the Lotte Central Research Institute. To prevent potential food hygiene accidents such as food poisoning, a special summer management period has been designated since May, during which food hygiene is strictly controlled.

This year, considering the increase in outdoor activities after the reopening of the economy and the earlier arrival of the heatwave compared to previous years, the sales time for fresh foods and ready-to-eat foods has been shortened or sales have been suspended. Emphasis has also been placed on cleaning and managing the main equipment used during the summer season. Lotte Department Store operates 'Quality Evaluators' at each store for hygiene management and manages on-site hygiene in real time through the Lotte Central Research Institute's Food Safety Management Application (app). Lotte Department Store said, "We are making every effort to maintain clean food stores together with Quality Evaluators through various educational programs."

For example, raw salmon ingredients such as neta and fillet are not used in sushi, sashimi rice bowls, and salads, and boiled shellfish are either banned from sale until the end of August or sold after blanching (heating at 100 degrees Celsius for more than 1 minute). Sales of cut watermelon wrapped simply in plastic wrap have been completely suspended, and only products using plastic cases and zipper bags are sold.

For major equipment used in the summer season such as ice makers, blenders, ice bins, shaved ice machines, ice cream makers, and aquariums, cleaning and disinfection cycles have been shortened, and hygiene status is verified through microbial analysis.

Meanwhile, Lotte Department Store and its tenant brands are working to obtain certification under the 'Restaurant Hygiene Rating System' implemented by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to ensure customers can enjoy safe and clean food. As of July, about 900 establishments have obtained certification. Through technical support and education in collaboration with the Korea Food Safety Management Certification Institute, the number of certified establishments will be further expanded.

In addition, since last year, the Lotte Central Research Institute Safety Center has been conducting surprise inspections of store hygiene and cleanliness even during non-business hours to ensure thorough on-site management before opening, during operation, and after closing.

Yoon Woo-wook, head of Lotte Department Store's F&B division, said, "We have entered a focused food hygiene management system for the summer to prevent food hygiene-related accidents such as food poisoning," adding, "We will ensure that customers visiting Lotte Department Store can purchase products with confidence in our stores."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.