"Foodborne Pathogens Detected in Local Festival Food Stalls... Insufficient Safety Management"

Investigation of On-Site Food Sales by Korea Consumer Agency
Inadequate Installation of LPG Cylinder Shades

It has been revealed that safety management is insufficient, as food poisoning bacteria were detected in some foods sold at local festivals.

The Korea Consumer Agency announced on the 5th that, as a result of investigating 30 food items cooked and sold at 10 local festival sites nationwide held from July to September last year, Staphylococcus aureus, a food poisoning bacterium, was detected in two food items including chicken. The agency added that some places were found to handle food without cooks and sales workers wearing sanitary caps, gloves, and masks, and that the management of cooking utensils, tableware, ingredients, and waste was unhygienic.

In a survey of 68 businesses handling LPG charging containers at the 10 local festival sites under investigation, 35 locations were found to have no shading measures, raising concerns about safety accidents. According to the "Local Festival Safety Management Manual" prepared by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, LPG charging containers must be equipped with shading to prevent exposure to direct sunlight, snow, and rain.

Some festivals were also found to have inadequate electrical facility safety management. Among 43 distribution panels installed within the festival sites, two were left with doors open, and one was installed at the entrance of a swimming pool where children frequently move, posing a risk of electric shock, the Consumer Agency reported.

The Consumer Agency also pointed out the need to strengthen the prevention of safety accidents due to changing weather conditions. Among the 10 local festival sites surveyed by the agency, only four operated heat relief shelters. Of these, only one shelter was equipped with appropriate cooling facilities such as air conditioning in a space isolated from the outside air.

The Consumer Agency plans to share the results of this investigation with relevant ministries and local governments, strengthen management and supervision such as compliance with safety management manuals, and propose reflecting improvements in local regulations.

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