Max scandal at Ministop over falsified food expiration dates

In a major food safety incident, Japanese convenience store giant Ministop was forced to suspend sales of freshly prepared foods, including onigiri rice balls and bento boxes, across approximately 1,600 locations nationwide. 

The measure comes after an internal investigation revealed employees at multiple stores had been falsifying expiration dates on food items prepared in-store.

The company confirmed violations at 23 stores located in major urban centers, including Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, where employees labeled food one to two hours after preparation to extend expiration periods or falsify dates. 

While no consumer health issues have been reported in connection with the incident, the company has formally notified health authorities and issued a public apology.

The suspension affects all kitchen-prepared meals at affected locations, with onigiri sales halted since August 9 and other prepared foods like bento boxes being pulled from shelves on August 18. 

Notably, factory-packaged items remain available for purchase. 

In an official statement published on their website, Ministop expressed deep regret for the inconvenience caused to customers and vowed to conduct a thorough investigation into the root causes of the violations.

The company emphasized its commitment to implementing stronger compliance measures to prevent future occurrences.

The stores implicated in the scandal are distributed across several prefectures, with the highest concentration in Osaka, where 11 locations were found to be non-compliant. Other affected areas include three stores in Kyoto; two each in the Tokyo, Saitama, Aichi and Hyogo prefectures; and one location in Fukuoka. 

With over 1,800 stores across Japan, Ministop prides itself on fresh food offerings.