China's top market regulator released a draft regulation recently aimed at tightening food safety oversight in kindergartens nationwide, introducing strict requirements that range from ingredient bans to real-time kitchen monitoring.

The proposed rule, jointly drafted by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Education, mandates a principal responsibility system for kindergarten food safety and establishes daily, weekly and monthly control and inspection mechanisms designed to create a comprehensive risk-prevention framework across the entire food supply chain.

China has 253,300 kindergartens serving nearly 35.84 million children, according to official data.

The move follows a series of alarming food safety incidents at kindergartens in recent years that have sparked widespread public concern.

In one case, more than 200 children at a kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu province, were found to have elevated lead levels in their blood in July 2025. Investigators determined that the kindergarten had added industrial pigments to food to make it more visually appealing. Some samples contained lead levels more than 2,000 times above the national safety limit. Six suspects were arrested and 17 officials faced disciplinary investigation.

In another incident in October 2024 at a kindergarten in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, 48 children contracted norovirus after experiencing vomiting and diarrhea. Parents who reviewed kitchen surveillance footage reported serious hygiene violations, and the kindergarten was later found to be operating without a valid license.

In line with the draft regulation, kindergartens would be required to appoint dedicated food safety personnel with clearly defined responsibilities.

A dynamic risk management system would mandate daily inspections, weekly risk analysis and monthly summary reports, with all documentation archived for regulatory review.

The regulation comes with a "negative list" which explicitly bans high-risk foods from kindergarten kitchens. Prohibited items include nitrites, bulk edible oils, bulk salt, cold meats and ingredients known to pose food poisoning risks such as green beans, wild mushrooms and sprouted potatoes.

To enhance transparency and oversight, the draft encourages kindergartens to implement "smart kitchen" systems with real-time video monitoring covering the entire food preparation process, from receiving and storing ingredients to cooking, distribution and dining.

A mandatory meal accompaniment system would require kindergarten principals or other responsible officials to eat with children at every meal and maintain detailed records.

The draft regulation also stipulates that food must be consumed within two hours of preparation. For meals distributed outside designated food handling areas, specialized sealed and insulated equipment would be required, accompanied by thorough cleaning and disinfection after each use.

In a separate but related development, four central government institutions — education, emergency management, market regulation and public security authorities — jointly announced on March 25 a comprehensive campaign to strengthen safety management across all primary and secondary schools and kindergartens in 2026.

The initiative includes measures addressing a wide range of student safety concerns, including mental health services, bullying prevention, traffic safety, cybersecurity and enhanced emergency response capabilities, alongside stricter food safety enforcement.

zoushuo@chinadaily.com.cn