Warning from Rotten Meat Scandal at Yunnan School
A recent incident at a school in Kunming, Yunnan, where students were served rotten, foul-smelling meat, has exposed serious issues in school cafeteria management and food safety oversight. The scandal resulted in the firing of the school principal and heavy fines for the cafeteria contractors, serving as a warning for strengthening regulations and supervision of food providers in educational institutions.
On October 19th, the joint investigation team of Guandu District in Kunming released its findings on the food safety issues reported at Changfeng School. The investigation confirmed that the pork served in the school cafeteria on October 16th had an abnormal odor. Testing revealed that the volatile basic nitrogen content of the pork exceeded China’s regulatory standards, indicating spoilage. Although the pork was slaughtered the same day with proper inspection certificates, failure to properly chill, store and transport the meat after processing led to its deterioration.
Further investigation uncovered that Changfeng School, a private secondary school established in 2016, had contracted its cafeteria operations to Yunnan Runsheng Property Service Co., Ltd. in August 2024 without proper reporting to education authorities. The school exercised inadequate oversight over the contractor’s qualifications and lacked rigorous food safety management systems.
Moreover, the cafeteria contractor did not possess the necessary qualifications to engage in catering services and failed to apply for an expansion of its business scope. During operations, the contractor exhibited poor control over food procurement, storage and preparation. Shockingly, “Best Before 2015” labeled imported frozen beef was found on site, which turned out to refer to a registration code, not an expiration date, with the beef actually produced in May 2024 and still within shelf life.
In response to the scandal, Changfeng School’s principal and legal representative have been removed from their positions. The school has been fined 100,000 yuan. The cafeteria contractor’s operations have been suspended and it faces a penalty of 5.78 million yuan. The food supplier involved has also been ordered to halt business pending further investigation. Additionally, officials from the district education bureau and market supervision administration face suspension for negligence in their duties.
This appalling incident, while now properly investigated and met with disciplinary action, nonetheless raises grave concerns over the state of food safety in China’s schools. It underscores the urgent need for more stringent and frequent audits of school meal providers, greater transparency in contractor selection, and enhanced communication channels for students and parents to voice concerns.
Fundamentally, this is not an isolated case but a symptom of profit-seeking behavior overriding basic moral obligations to student well-being. Authorities must take decisive steps to realign incentives and enforce regulations so that the health of China’s youth is truly prioritized. Only with an uncompromising stance and preventative approach to food safety can public trust in school institutions be restored. Lessons from this scandal should be studied and applied nationwide as a catalyst for systemic reform. The futures of the next generation depend upon it.