Welcome treats after food-poisoning scare

A picnic at Inspiration Lake, cooking lessons at school, sharing homemade meals and eating out - that's how parents and 100,000 students from 200 schools adapted to the first day without a lunch-box supplier after a food-poisoning incident.

The decision to stop lunch-box supply yesterday and today caused chaos, with schools and parents scrambling for options. But the worries did not stop there amid safety concerns, with Luncheon Star under scrutiny amid issues with the quality of its meals.

Luncheon Star, a subsidiary of fast-food group Cafe de Coral, suspended lunch box services as the Department of Health said four students from two schools suffered food poisoning last week.

The two schools, sources said, are The Church of Christ in China Mong Wong Far Yok Memorial Primary School in Tuen Mun and TWGHs Wong See Sum Primary School in Tsing Yi.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said yesterday that 11 food and 25 environmental samples collected at Luncheon Star's factories in Sha Tin, Yuen Long and Kwun Tong all passed tests.

Representatives of the FEHD and the Education Bureau yesterday met with executives of Luncheon Star, who were required to submit a report. More inspections will be conducted at the factories.

The crisis, however, turned into a surprise treat for students at Holy Cross Lutheran School in Tsuen Wan. Its parent-teacher association took students to Inspiration Lake next to Disneyland for an impromptu picnic.

At other schools, meals were delivered by parents while older students went out to eat.

A primary six student from SKH Tin Shui Wai Ling Oi Primary School went out for pizza. He said: "I'm so excited and happy. The school lunch tastes so bad. Even if the food outside is just average it's still better."

At Yan Chai Hospital Chiu Tsang Hok Wan Primary School in Tsing Yi mothers took on the roles of cooks to prepare 200 meal boxes. They also taught students how to cook in a special home economics class.

Primary six student Cheung Chun-hei enjoyed the special activity, saying: "It's more fulfilling when you cook for yourself." Now he intends to help with cooking at home.

One of the mothers, Yau, said: "The idea of inviting parents to cook for students received positive responses and we divided the work in advance so the cooking was smooth."

Yan Chai principal Augustine Chen Yi-hsin said teachers and parents decided to cook together immediately upon learning of the service suspension. Chen added: "Through the crisis and home-school cooperation students have a better idea how they can help solve a problem together."

School chancellor Alice Chiu Tsang Hok-Wan said she has lost confidence in Luncheon Star and will consider changing the supplier.

Legislator Tang Fei said schools are required to go through tendering for lunch-box suppliers. But he urged authorities to allow exemptions for schools changing suppliers.

Luncheon Star said it is preparing for the service resumption tomorrow, but will stop supplying some secondary schools.

"The demand is up to four times higher than before face-to-face classes resumed. After considering our manpower and capacity, we decide not to renew the contract with some secondary schools as it is easier for secondary students to find alternative meal options," it said, adding schools have been informed.

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com

Editorial: School meals reaction hard to swallow