Daegu launches food safety inspections ahead of Chuseok

The Daegu Institute of Health and Environment said Wednesday it will conduct safety inspections of agricultural, livestock, fishery and processed food products through Sept. 23, targeting items expected to see higher demand ahead of the Chuseok holiday.

To ensure the safety of holiday food, the institute will form joint collection teams with "honorary livestock hygiene inspectors" — citizen volunteers — and work with Daegu city and district offices to carry out detailed testing on 30 high-demand processed food items and 157 agricultural, livestock and fishery products.

The main inspection targets include cooked foods such as fried dishes and savory pancakes, processed foods, produce, seafood, and livestock products including meat and eggs sold at hypermarkets and traditional markets.

Key testing areas cover five types of food-poisoning bacteria, 480 types of harmful substances including pesticide residues, 149 types of veterinary drugs, and beef DNA testing. Products found non-compliant will be reported immediately to the relevant authorities for administrative action.

Eggs, which see particularly high consumption during the holiday season, will receive focused testing for 31 types of pesticides, 12 types of veterinary drugs, and food-poisoning bacteria including salmonella to prevent non-compliant products from reaching the market.

"We will do our utmost to ensure thorough safety inspections of processed foods, meat and other products that see increased distribution during the holiday period, so that residents can prepare a safe and plentiful Chuseok table with peace of mind," said Shin Sang-hee, director of the Daegu Institute of Health and Environment.