Problems with school meals were found in half of the schools inspected in Ukraine
In Ukraine, school meal programs were inspected at 567 schools where students in grades 1–11 receive free hot lunches. Deficiencies related to food storage, hygiene, menus, and food preparation were found in nearly half of the schools. At the same time, no food safety violations were found in approximately half of the schools inspected.
Inspections are ongoing in Ukraine to assess how school meal programs are organized. The State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection has already analyzed the situation in 567 schools. These are schools where students in grades 1–11 receive free hot meals. In total, there are about 10,000 such schools in Ukraine.
The State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection reported the initial results of the inspections. Experts are focusing not only on what exactly children are receiving for lunch. They are checking how food is stored, whether sanitary regulations are being followed, whether meals are prepared correctly, and whether staff members have undergone the necessary medical examinations. Initial results have shown that there are plenty of problems.
Among the main issues identified by experts are food storage temperatures, compliance with nutritional standards, staff hygiene, employee medical examinations, the retention of daily food samples, and food preparation methods. The State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection explains that its mission is not merely to identify violations. Representatives of the service provide schools with recommendations on exactly what needs to be corrected. “The principle is simple: identify the problem—help fix it—prevent it from happening again,” the agency explained.
What They Found in Schools
According to the results of the initial inspections, no food safety violations were found in about half of the institutions. At the same time, deficiencies were identified in 293 schools, which the institutions and their founders must now address. For additional laboratory testing, specialists have already collected 645 samples of swabs and raw ingredients. The operation of refrigeration equipment most often requires attention. In particular, specialists are checking whether the required temperature conditions are being maintained.
Problems also arise with the separate storage of different foods. This is important to ensure that raw foods do not come into contact with prepared meals and do not pose a risk of contamination. Another issue is the proper application of HACCP procedures. This system helps control food safety risks at all stages of food preparation. Inspectors also pay attention to food waste management, employee training on hygiene rules, and pest control measures.
Sanitary conditions are also inspected
Separately, the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection assesses the extent to which schools comply with sanitary regulations. According to preliminary results, over 80% of the inspected institutions meet the relevant requirements. However, shortcomings that need to be addressed were still found in 104 educational institutions. This time, the problems directly concerned the organization of meals for children.
Among the violations were failure to follow the approved four-week menu and established nutritional standards. Some schools also had issues with employee hygiene. Experts identified cases where employees had not undergone the required medical examinations. Furthermore, daily samples of prepared meals were not properly stored everywhere. Another problem was violations of food preparation procedures.
What Schoolchildren Eat
A separate inspection is conducted to determine what menu children receive and to what extent it meets established requirements. Experts have already analyzed 276 four-week seasonal menus. Nine of them were sent back for revision. In addition, another 707 samples were collected for further testing.
Among other things, experts will test drinking water and the nutritional value of prepared meals. They are also examining the facilities where food is prepared and consumed. In other words, the inspection covers more than just the kitchen and the food itself. Experts are trying to evaluate the entire process—from the storage of raw ingredients to the finished meal on a student’s plate.
The inspections will continue
In total, there are about 10,000 schools in Ukraine that provide free hot meals to students in grades 1–11. Therefore, only a portion of these institutions have been inspected so far. The State Food and Consumer Service emphasizes that any identified deficiencies must not only be documented but also corrected.
The Ministry of Education and Science and the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection are working together to ensure that schools receive clear recommendations on how to address the issues. The goal of the inspections is to ensure that children receive safe and high-quality meals and that the identified violations do not recur in the future. This was reported by the agency’s press service.
In Kyiv, 51% of students are already attending school in person. Just a week ago, that figure was 45%. At the same time, the number of schools operating solely online has decreased from 11 to five.
