Last updated: January 22, 2024
We would like to provide a subsequent report on the ``faking the origin of school lunch ingredients'' announced on November 21, 2020.
As a result of conducting an inspection to determine the origin of the meat delivered by Kotobuki Foods Co., Ltd., which is stored in the kitchen, it was discovered that the company had delivered meat from a foreign country, as per an interview with the company concerned. I did.
Inagi City will reimburse the business for the difference between the cost of four days worth of ingredients and inspection costs that were found to be foreign-produced through country-of-origin identification inspections, and the cost of ingredients delivered from another business due to the business's failure to contract. We will proceed with the procedure to request a refund from the person. We will also provide information on the test results to the police and continue to cooperate with the investigation. Please note that the business in question closed down its meat department on November 15, 2020, and there will be no future transactions.
Based on the advice of the Kanagawa Prefectural Police, we conducted tests on two ingredients each: pork and chicken, for a total of four samples. Although both ingredients were delivered as domestically produced, the inspection results showed that they were produced in foreign countries.
| No. | ingredients | Inspection results |
| 1 | Pork cutlets (used on October 11, 2020) | Made in a foreign country (likely to be made in Spain) |
| 2 | Sliced pork cutlets (used on October 19, 2020) | Made in a foreign country (likely to be made in Mexico) |
| 3 | Cubed young chicken thigh with skin (used on October 13, 2020) | Made in a foreign country (likely to be made in Brazil) |
| 4 | Young chicken thighs with skin cut into pieces (used on October 18, 2020) | Made in a foreign country (likely to be made in Brazil) |
We tested two samples of pork and chicken, one sample each of those with the longest shelf life. We conducted tests for the number of viable bacteria, coliform bacteria, and Staphylococcus aureus, and confirmed that there were no hygiene issues.
| No. | ingredients | General viable bacteria count | Coliform bacteria | Staphylococcus aureus |
| 1 | Pork cutlets (used on October 11, 2020) |
below standard （4,200/g） |
Not detected | Not detected |
| 2 | Cubed young chicken thigh with skin (used on October 13, 2020) |
below standard （6,000/g） |
below standard （30/g） |
Not detected |
| reference | Private meat handling company shipping standards | 5,000,000/g or less | 10,000/g or less | Not detected (Management target value) |
Notes: General viable bacteria count: An indicator of microbial contamination of food that indicates the number of "living bacteria" regardless of the type of bacteria. Most bacteria are killed by heating. Notes: Coliform group: Widely distributed in nature. Killed by heating Note: Staphylococcus aureus: Widely distributed in nature, the toxin produced when it multiplies in food can cause food poisoning.
We would like to provide a follow-up report regarding the ``Suspicion of falsifying the origin of school lunch ingredients'' announced on November 2, 2020.
Since November 1st, we have continued to make inquiries by phone and fax to the company (Kotobuki Foods Co., Ltd.) that supplies meat for school lunches in Inagi City that is suspected of falsifying the production area, but we have not been able to contact them. The situation continued.
We were able to contact the company on November 16th, and upon conducting an interview, it was discovered that the meat (pork and chicken) delivered to Inagi City was disguised as domestically produced meat. There was an explanation that it was approved.
For this reason, the city is currently conducting its own tests to determine the origin of the ingredients delivered by the vendor and stored in the kitchen, and is proceeding with the process of confirming the facts. We will notify you again as soon as we know the results of this test.
In addition, Inagi City will take strict action against the business operator based on the inspection results.
It has been discovered that Kotobuki Foods Co., Ltd., which has been delivering meat for school lunches in Inagi City since December 2020, is suspected of disguising foreign-produced meat as domestically produced. .
The history so far is as follows.
On October 20, 2020, we received a message from the above company saying that they were no longer able to handle the meat we had contracted with.We asked them why, but they did not give us an answer, so we hurriedly contracted with another company. We have made the switch. Subsequently, on October 24th, the Kanagawa Prefectural Health and Sanitation Division contacted the above-mentioned vendor to ask for their cooperation in securing preserved foodstuffs as they were suspected of falsifying the production area. It has become clear.
In Inagi City, deliveries by the above companies have been suspended since October 20th, and ingredients are ordered from other companies, so there will be no impact on the provision of school lunches, such as changes in menus.
Going forward, we will cooperate with the investigation by the relevant organizations and will closely monitor the results of the investigation, and will notify you once the results become clear.
In addition, the Inagi City Board of Education uses domestically produced ingredients for the main ingredients for school lunches. In addition, based on the ``Inagi City Standards for the Delivery of School Lunch Supplies,'' we are requiring the submission of a certificate of origin when signing contracts for ingredients, and the above-mentioned vendors are also required to submit certificates of origin for all ingredients delivered to date. I'm here.
Inagi City Education Department School Lunch Division Tel: 042-377-8904