How are the boxed meals on China’s high-speed trains produced?

Staffs following the cleaning procedures to wash their hands

With a complete food safety management system, specific instructions for each dish, and 14 quality control points in the production process, the railway catering center in the Chengdu Passenger Section of China Railway Chengdu Group Co., Ltd. endeavors to ensure strict control over every link of the catering service on board the nation’s high-speed trains.

On Feb. 19, 2019, reporters visited the railway catering center in the Chengdu Passenger Section of China Railway Chengdu Group Co., Ltd., the largest railway catering center in southwest China, and witnessed the production process of railway boxed meals. During the raw ingredient inspection and acceptance period, the catering center checks relevant papers and receipts. Only the vegetables that pass pesticide residue tests are allowed to enter the center.

All staff members in the center must wear a special uniform and follow a series of sterilization and cleaning procedures, and enter the workshop only after passing a final clothing examination. On-site quality inspectors check the center’s conditions throughout production. The boxed meals can only be placed into storage after passing their inspection. There is also a dedicated laboratory in the catering center. Besides testing for pesticide residue, the laboratory is also used to test the finished product. To monitor and have a better knowledge of the product quality, the quality inspectors check every batch and save samples.

So far, the catering center of the Chengdu Passenger Section has established four distribution stations in Chengdudong Railway Station, Chongqingbei Railway Station, Chongqingxi Railway Station, and Guiyangbei Railway Station, where the boxed meals can be stored, transferred, and heated via dedicated equipment.

(People’s Daily Online)