Inspectors find violations in more than half of care kitchens

Lithuania’s State Food and Veterinary Service found violations in 62 of the 109 social care institution kitchens it inspected this year, about 57% of checks, LRT reported Thursday.

“Finding violations in about 57% of inspections is concerning,” Ramunė Jakubauskienė, an adviser at the service’s Supervision Department, said in a statement. She urged staff responsible for preparing food and organising meals to follow approved menus, recipes and hygiene requirements, and to ensure food safety.

The service investigated 15 cases after receiving reports, five of which were confirmed. It issued 22 administrative sanction notices and made 17 decisions banning the supply of non-compliant food products to care institutions.

Common problems included failure to follow approved menus and recipes, incorrect menu preparation and not supplying certain foods as often as required. Inspectors also found breaches involving expiry dates, food traceability and labelling, as well as cases in which prohibited products were used to feed residents. Other shortcomings concerned hygiene, food waste and animal by-products management, and internal controls.