Eating out is a risky business, but most of us do it anyway—we have after all trained our bellies well, right? We are a nation proud of our food. Now, it is a whole other matter when it comes to feeding our children. It is imperative that our kids consume clean food; they have weaker immune and digestive systems. So, can you imagine the horror when a kindergarten was found to have stored dry food in the toilet? The last thing you want is for your kid to suffer from food poisoning or worse...
Roach dropping as a topping
In Kedah, Malaysia, a Kemas kindergarten was caught storing their dry food in the same place people do their number ones and their number twos. An audit from the Community Development Department’s Additional Food Plan exposed this incident.
Unfortunately, it is not an isolated incident. Gasp! Yes, the auditor-general, in a 2010 report brought up several cases of sanitary issues at preschools. The report stated: "Dry food was also found to have been stored for too long until [the shelf-life] expired. [The items were] exposed to pests and placed beside chemicals such as paint."
At yet another kindergarten in Kota Baru, roach droppings were discovered on canned food. Reportedly, kindergartens did not adhere to the recipes and menu that had been fixed by Kemas headquarters and the Health Ministry when it came to food preparation.
Here are the numbers, just so you have an understanding of how widespread this lack of proper sanitation is, when it comes to food preparation at preschools -- 79 out of 143 kindergartens were affected during the inspection.
RELATED: Lack of hygiene knowledge key in increase of spread of infectious disease
Causes of poor sanitation
There were several cited excuses or reasons for the unsanitary conditions in food preparation and food storage. One being, delays by Kemas operation centers when it came to distributing dry food to the respective preschools. Preschools had to resort to getting food on their own so that the kids can be fed.
The second reason, as stated in the report, is that the Kemas financial department failed to reimburse the claims for the preschool food expenses within 14 days—one claim took as long as 66 days. This called for desperate measures on the part of kindergarten operators—go cheap and forgo the quality.
For the second consecutive year, Kemas was unable to acquire multi-vitamins for preschoolers as is required for the programme. The supplier had pulled out abruptly as stated in the report.
What are preschools feeding your kids?
When was the last time you checked what they are feeding your kids at the preschool? Are you aware of where they store their unprepared food? It never hurts to question so that you can have that peace of mind. No one wants extra flavours and toppings from pests in their food. Your kids are counting on you to be more aware.
Check the following three features of a childcare centre or a preschool:
1. The physical condition of the facilities. Is it clean? Is the place well-maintained? Professionalism is reflected in such details.
2. The staff. Are the staff well-qualified to instruct children? Look at how well the staff interact with the children during your visit.
3. Is the place licensed? If a preschool doesn't have an operating license. give it a miss.
If all else fails, though, you could always try these great lunch box ideas for your kid!
