There is a bigger problem than "duck meat impersonating lamb", with 8.354 million yuan in compensation paid to the school cafeteria | food safety | lamb meat

According to media reports, the Market Supervision Administration of Chaoyang District, Beijing has recently launched an investigation into the Guangqu Road Branch of Beijing Orange Dream Catering Management Co., Ltd. in accordance with the law. Chaodao, a subsidiary of the well-known hot pot brand Banu, has recently been exposed by the media for detecting duck ingredients in the lamb rolls sold.

Using duck meat to impersonate lamb is certainly a scandal. However, Banu's response measures this time have been highly praised by some consumers. After the emergence of questioning voices on the internet, Banu requested that the relevant stores take the initiative to send for inspection. After the inspection results confirmed that the lamb roll did indeed contain duck meat, Banu immediately launched a "heavy handed" rectification measure - relevant stores closed for rectification, comprehensive inspection, cancellation of independent purchasing rights for sub brands, and serious handling of relevant responsible persons. Especially for consumers, Banu promises to compensate a total of 8.354 million yuan in cash per table for any consumer who has consumed food related to the incident at the store since its opening.

Looking back at the numerous food safety incidents that have occurred in recent years, it is rare for businesses to take such strong corrective measures, especially those who can proactively provide consumers with such a large amount of cash compensation. Of course, the sincerity of admitting mistakes, rectification, and cash compensation cannot offset the legal responsibilities that merchants should bear, nor can it completely dispel consumer concerns about food safety.

Food safety incidents and consumer disputes involving fake lamb had already occurred intensively before Banu was exposed. On August 2nd, internet celebrity blogger and German girl Haiwenna posted that her complaint about some merchants selling fake beer and fake lamb at the Qingdao Beer Festival has been properly resolved. After on-site investigation and combining pictures and videos, the Qingdao Municipal Market Supervision Bureau believes that "the beer sold in the tavern may be non German original Munich Royal Beer, and the lamb skewers sold may not be lamb", which is basically true. The tavern merchants apologize and compensate for this. On August 7, Zhang Liangliang Spicy Hot Pot publicly apologized for the detection of pork content in the mutton of his franchise store. On September 4th, some catering stalls in Inner Mongolia University cafeteria were punished by the administrative department for using duck meat to impersonate beef or lamb to cook dishes and provide catering services. Industry experts have pointed out that some low-end catering brands have been using duck meat to impersonate lamb for a long time.

Why is the "fake lamb" incident happening so frequently? Although the specific reasons for each case are different, it is not difficult to find the important factor of regulatory deficiencies both internally and externally within the enterprise. In the case of Chaodao hotpot restaurant, when the key management authority is delegated to sub brands, the risk of lack of supervision and lax control will increase accordingly. In the case of Zhang Liang's Spicy Hot Pot, franchise stores have a great deal of operational autonomy, and it is difficult for the brand side to achieve effective comprehensive supervision. The Qingdao Beer Festival, a large-scale festival, has brought together a large number of merchants, goods, consumers, and consumer activities in a short period of time, which has increased the difficulty for regulatory authorities to carry out effective supervision. The food safety supervision in school canteens is a long-standing problem. From the "rat head and duck neck" incident at Jiangxi Vocational and Technical College of Industry to the "duck meat pretending to be beef and mutton" incident at Inner Mongolia University, various regulatory difficulties in the school cafeteria contracting management model have been exposed. In particular, some school canteens are contracted by enterprises as a whole, and the contracting enterprises then contract the catering stalls in the canteens to individual businesses. This layered contracting and contracting process leaves many regulatory loopholes, making school canteens prone to becoming a high-risk area for food safety issues.

Food safety is not only reflected in the issue of fake lamb. In many aspects and links related to food, from fields to farms, from wholesale markets to street vendors, from catering enterprises to people's dining tables, all may become risk points for food safety.

Improving the construction of the rule of law and governing food safety work in accordance with the law is an important guarantee for achieving the "safety on the tip of the tongue" of the people. At present, China has established a relatively complete food safety legal system, especially the significantly revised Food Safety Law in 2015, as well as the subsequent Implementation Regulations of the Food Safety Law, which fully reflect the "four strictest" standards, the strictest supervision, the strictest punishment, and the most serious accountability. According to relevant laws and regulations, there is still a gap in the supervision and enforcement of food safety in real life, as well as in the self-discipline of food producers and operators in the industry. How to comprehensively implement legal provisions and improve the self-discipline mechanism of enterprises and industries in accordance with the spirit of the law, and weave a food safety network with diverse forces such as regulatory and law enforcement agencies, food industry, consumers, and public opinion participating widely, may be a greater task for non compliant enterprises to take responsibility, sincerely rectify and compensate.