To further regulate online catering service operations and strengthen food safety defenses for online meal ordering, the Hongshibao District branch of the Wuzhong City Market Supervision Administration in Ningxia conducted surprise inspections of third-party online food ordering platforms and their affiliated catering providers within its jurisdiction. The enforcement action focused on three key areas. First, online monitoring was used to identify clues, leveraging delivery data platforms to check if merchants failed to display permits, had expired licenses, or operated beyond their approved scope. Second, offline verification was performed to address vulnerabilities, with targeted inspections of stores flagged by online monitoring, those with high sales volumes, frequent orders, or numerous complaints. Inspectors went directly into kitchens to scrutinize employee health management, ingredient sourcing documentation, food preparation processes, utensil cleaning and sterilization, and the use of food additives. Third, delivery safety was ensured by examining the use of food safety seals on packaging and enforcing a "no seal, no delivery" policy to prevent contamination during transit. Beyond on-site checks, the authority is exploring long-term regulatory mechanisms for online catering, promoting the use of "internet + AI" technologies. Catering businesses are encouraged to install cameras in key kitchen areas to provide visible assurance to customers. The administration also held responsibility meetings with third-party platforms, urging them to strictly enforce registration reviews for online food operators, prevent food safety violations, report incidents promptly, and handle complaints effectively. Platforms are required to enhance management of their merchants and dynamically monitor those with unusual sales patterns or high complaint rates. The special inspection involved 25 enforcement personnel, who examined three third-party online catering platforms (or agents) and 47 affiliated catering providers. One case was filed against a platform for failing to meet its primary responsibility. The inspection revealed that some kitchens were clean and well-lit, complying with transparent kitchen requirements, and used food safety seals correctly on delivery packaging. However, a few merchants had issues such as poor environmental hygiene, mixed storage of raw and cooked food in refrigerators, and incomplete sourcing documentation. These establishments were instructed to rectify the problems immediately. Moving forward, the Hongshibao District branch will continue to strengthen coordinated online and offline supervision of the online catering sector, maintaining a zero-tolerance approach towards violations. The goal is to create a reliable and secure online food consumption environment for the public.
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