Estonian school blocked from sharing lunch leftovers over food safety concerns
A Klooga school's plan to share leftover lunches through a local community fridge was shut down before it could start after the vendor stepped in, citing food safety concerns.
A few weeks ago, locals in the Klooga area in Harju County were asked to bring empty jars to school so uneaten school meals could be packed up instead of thrown away.
The initiative, however, was killed off before it ever really got off the ground.
Kairi Niinepuu-Mark, coordinator of the Lääne-Harju community fridge project, said a very thoughtful school employee had noticed a lot of food was being left over at school and agreed to repackage it into reusable containers and deliver it to the local community fridge.
"But [the initiative] has been put on hold while we figure out a way to ensure maximum food safety," she said.
School cafeteria vendor Dussmann blocked the foodsharing effort, citing food safety concerns. Dussmann school catering manager Inga Paenurm said they can't give away leftover lunches because food kept in hot serving counters is subject to strict time limits.
"We may want to, but do I want to deliberately put someone else's health at risk?" Paenurm asked. She added that specialists at the Agriculture and Food Board (PTA) have run tests confirming changes in food "that we don't actually see with our eyes."
The PTA said vendors are responsible for determining how long their food remains safe after shelf-life testing. The board also noted that donating food isn't required by alw.
Niinepuu-Mark believes schools should be made an exception, since the foodsharing effort wasn't technically a donation but an in-school initiative.
"There are no third parties or logistical chains involved here — the food reaches the end consumer very quickly," she said.
Paenurm, however, said reducing food waste should start at home.
Many kids, she said, act in school cafeterias like they're at an all-inclusive hotel buffet, piling food on their plates and then leaving most of it uneaten.
She argued if families would take some time in the evenings to look over the school menu together with their kids, and talk about what they like or what might work for them, it would be easier for students to choose in the cafeteria.
"Take a little of everything, dare to try something new — that's a huge step," Paenurm added.
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Editor: Valner Väino, Aili Vahtla
