As the Spring Festival approaches, the Hongsibao District branch of the Wuzhong City Market Supervision Administration in Ningxia has initiated a targeted inspection of catering businesses that host banquets. The campaign aims to regulate service practices, effectively mitigate food safety risks associated with large gatherings, and ensure the dietary safety of local residents. Leveraging its regulatory functions, the office is focusing on critical aspects of banquet operations to safeguard public health during the holiday season.

The inspection zeroes in on banquet venues within its jurisdiction, conducting thorough risk assessments across four key areas. First, it involves rigorous verification of operational licenses and the validity of employee health certificates to ensure all catering entities are legally compliant. Second, the inspection strengthens control over ingredient safety by tracing procurement channels, meticulously checking purchase records and invoices, and prohibiting the use of substandard, unlabeled, expired, or spoiled materials. Third, it standardizes food handling procedures through comprehensive checks on kitchen sanitation, segregation of raw and cooked foods, management of food additives, and the cleaning and sterilization of utensils. Fourth, the office ensures the implementation of emergency protocols by reviewing food sample retention practices and the adequacy of contingency plans for food safety incidents, thereby enhancing the venues' risk prevention and response capabilities.

Adopting a combined approach of inspection and education, law enforcement officers are conducting blanket checks on all banquet catering services in the area. They provide on-site feedback and guidance for rectifying issues such as poor hygiene, non-compliant sample storage, and incomplete record-keeping, mandating corrections within a specified timeframe. Concurrently, they are educating business operators on food safety regulations to heighten their sense of responsibility.

To ensure that identified risks are effectively eliminated, the office has implemented a closed-loop management system for addressing violations. This system tracks issues from initial logging through follow-up reviews until resolution is confirmed. Plans are underway to refine food safety credit archives for catering businesses, require advance registration for banquets, and promote the use of internet and AI-based monitoring for potential real-time remote supervision. So far, the campaign has involved 28 law enforcement deployments, inspected 14 establishments, mandated improvements at 7 venues, and initiated one formal investigation.

Moving forward, the branch will intensify oversight of key service providers, including rural family-hosted banquets and commercial event caterers. The goal is to reinforce the food safety net during the festive period, ensuring reliable protection for the public.