The French government is on the warpath – to make sure visitors during this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games don’t get caught out with upset stomachs.
The Ministry of Agriculture has launched a campaign of strict controls at restaurants and snack bars in and near Olympic venues to avoid an outbreak of gastroenteritis or food poisoning.
The measures were announced as Marc Fesneau, Minister of Agriculture, attended an inspection at a restaurant in Saint-Ouen which, thanks to its location near the Stade de France and the Saint-Denis-Stade de France RER station, expects to welcome huge numbers of spectators and tourists during the Games.
In a statement, the Ministry of Agriculture said: “The risk of collective foodborne illness is classified as one of the highest levels of risk by the Ministry of the Interior, which considers that the direct impact on the smooth running of the events but also the impact in terms of reputation can be high.”
More inspectors and greater capacity for testing in laboratories have already been put in place and some 1,500 inspections have already been carried out. Any establishments found to be falling short of the required hygiene rules will be given notice to solve the issues before the Olympics or face closure.
As the Ministry said: “13 million meals served, 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes to feed, millions of visitors, more than 40 venues involved and a wide range of catering services: sandwiches, breakfasts, snacks, gourmet meals, buffets… In addition to being a great sporting celebration, the Games are also a huge challenge in terms of catering.”
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