Meal facility food can also be packaged... Operation of convenience processed food corner allowed

MFDS Includes Group Catering Facilities in '100 Major Tasks for Food and Drug Regulation Innovation'

From now on, it will be possible to take out food prepared at large-scale dining facilities such as corporate cafeterias. It will also be allowed to have a separate corner within the dining facility that offers convenient processed foods like cup noodles and sandwiches.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 26th that, after deliberation and resolution by the Active Administration Committee, it has decided to implement regulatory improvements for collective dining facilities with these contents.

Until now, food prepared at collective dining facilities could only be consumed immediately within the dining area. However, the Ministry explained that since the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about infectious diseases in collective dining facilities used by many people have increased, and the consumer culture favoring convenience foods has spread, raising the need for regulatory improvements.

With this regulatory improvement, food prepared at dining facilities within the same workplace can be packaged and consumed at a separate location within the same workplace. In addition, the regulation that restricted the place where users consume food in the dining area to "a place where the kitchen interior can be seen" has been improved to allow additional places for consuming prepared food. It is also permitted to operate a corner that provides convenient processed foods such as cup noodles and sandwiches as part of the dining menu on a regular basis.

This measure is being promoted as active administration and will be implemented prior to the revision of related regulations. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety plans to supplement related regulations after implementation. To strengthen hygiene management and stabilize the system, the Ministry will prepare and distribute the "Collective Dining Facility Hygiene Management Guidelines" to companies, local governments, and related associations.

Deputy Minister Kwon Oh-sang of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said, "Going forward, we will continue to improve unnecessary regulations while prioritizing hygiene and safety in collective dining in line with changes in dining culture that pursue diversity and convenience. We hope companies will also do their best in hygiene management to create a safe dining environment."

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