Zhongguo shipin weisheng zazhi (Sep 2022)
Foodborne disease outbreaks in schools in China’s Mainland from 2010 to 2020
Abstract
ObjectiveTo describe the epidemiology of foodborne disease outbreaks in schools in China’s Mainland and to identify where preventive measures could be targeted.MethodsData on foodborne disease outbreaks in schools reported between 2010 and 2020 were extracted from Chinese National Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance Network and analyzed.ResultsFrom 2010 to 2020， 2 101 outbreaks of foodborne disease in schools were reported in China’s Mainland and involved 44 510 cases， 15 193 hospitalizations and 6 deaths. The median number of cases per event was 21. The etiology of 50.9% （1 069/2 101） of the outbreaks was not determined， and suspected food of 21.2% （446/2 101） of the outbreaks was not determined. Microbial pathogens were the most common cause of the outbreaks with a known etiology （65.7%， 678/1 032） and 83.3% （5/6） of the deaths were chemical agents-related outbreaks. Staphylococcus aureus and its enterotoxins and Bacillus cereus were the most commonly identified pathogens， accounting for 14% （145/1 032） and 13% （135/1 032） of outbreak reports with a known etiology. The most common foods were meat products （9.2%， 194/2 101）， accidental ingestion of poisonous plants （8.8%， 184/2 101） and rice products （8.1%， 171/2 101）. September was a high month for foodborne disease outbreaks （20.2%， 425/2 101）. The main reasons for food contamination in outbreaks were insufficient heating or cooking time during food preparation， or accidental ingestion and misuse of poisonous plants and chemicals， and improper food storage.ConclusionSchools and relevant departments of food safety management should strengthen food safety guidance， supervision and management， regularly train canteen employees， carry out food safety education for primary and secondary school students， and strengthen cooperation among various departments and field hygiene investigations.
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