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Shaoxing has introduced China's first local standard for managing tableware sanitization rooms, set to take effect on Feb 1.

The Management Specification for Tableware Sanitization Rooms establishes clear guidelines to fill a regulatory gap, aiming to standardize operations across the city and serve as a model for Zhejiang province.

The new standard outlines requirements for facilities and equipment, including cleanliness, regular maintenance, and operational performance. It also sets detailed protocols for the sanitization process, covering pre-cleaning, placement, temperature, and duration during disinfection, and post-sanitization storage and handling.

An evaluation and improvement mechanism has also been introduced, encouraging businesses to self-assess while enabling public oversight. This aims to ensure continuous improvement and drive higher standards across the sector.

Shaoxing's efforts stem from its innovative approach to addressing school cafeteria hygiene challenges.

In recent years, the city's market regulation and education bureaus have collaborated to implement sanitization rooms in school cafeterias, tackling issues such as large-scale tableware cleaning, ineffective disinfection, secondary contamination risks, and high costs.

The initiative has seen rapid progress, with 199 sanitization rooms built across school cafeterias citywide, marking a significant step in safeguarding food safety for students and staff.