Mid-day meal-related food poisoning cases at six-year peak

Source: The post is based on the article “Mid-day meal-related food poisoning cases at six-year peak” published in The Hindu on 26th September 2022

What is the News?

The cases of food poisoning due to the consumption of mid-day meals in 2022 are the highest in the last six years.

Food Poisoning due to Mid Day Meal Scheme

In 2022, 979 victims of food poisoning were reported in schools across India, the highest in the last six years. The number declined during the pandemic years as schools were closed. 

In the last 13 years, at least 9,646 such cases of food poisoning were reported. Close to 12% of such victims became ill after consuming mid-day meals in which lizards, rats, snakes and cockroaches were found. 

Most such cases were recorded in Karnataka, Odisha, Telangana, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

What are the reasons for low standards of midday meal preparation?

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India have audited several States in the past decade and have cited many reasons that could lead to low standards of midday meal preparation such as 1) poor infrastructure, 2) insufficient inspections, 3) irregular licensing, 4) limiled reporting and 5) absence of feedback mechanisms.