Due to the problem of food poisoning confirmed in various parts of the country in people who ate bento boxes from Yoshidaya, an ekiben maker in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, the Hachinohe City Public Health Center lifted the sanction on the 4th, saying that it was possible to confirm the improvement of the hygiene management system for Yoshidaya, which had been banned from business.
In September, a total of 9 people were confirmed to have food poisoning in 3 prefectures by the 29rd of September, when people complained of feeling unwell after eating bento boxes made by Yoshidaya, a bento maker in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture.
In September, the Hachinohe City Public Health Center determined that food poisoning caused by bento boxes was caused by food poisoning, banned Yoshidaya, and instructed it to make improvements, saying that the temperature control of cooked rice purchased from a contractor and the hygiene of containers were not thoroughly managed.
On November 11, in response to the submission of the improvement report, the Hachinohe City Public Health Center announced that it had lifted the ban on business on the 1th, saying that as a result of an on-site inspection of the manufacturing facility, it was confirmed that the hygiene management system had been improved, such as procedures for checking the temperature when accepting rice from the outside and the placement of personnel to check hygiene management during work.
In addition, it is believed that the major cause of food poisoning is that the number of orders exceeded the company's own manufacturing capacity and the outsourcing of rice to an outside party, but measures such as setting an upper limit on the number of rice produced per day are being taken.
Atsuko Ishii, Deputy Director and Head of the Health Division of the Hachinohe City Public Health Center, said, "We want the health management plan to be followed and implemented reliably, and the public health center will conduct on-site investigations as necessary."
Yoshidaya: "We will strive to restore trust"
In response to the lifting of the business ban, Hiroki Yoshida, president of Yoshidaya, commented, "We will return to our original intention and reliably carry out each and every process, and strive to restore trust so that people can pick up their bento boxes again."