Azerbaijan to inspect school cafeterias, ban unhealthy foods
Food Safety Agency announces stricter monitoring and a list of prohibited products to ensure safe nutrition for children
BAKU, Azerbaijan (MNTV) – The Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency (AQSA) will conduct inspections in the food blocks of educational institutions, Musavat.com reports.
The agency announced that restrictions have been introduced on the use of certain food products in accordance with average daily nutrition standards for schools, based on a decision by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
The measures aim to ensure healthy and safe nutrition for children. According to the new requirements, a number of products considered potentially harmful to health are prohibited in educational institutions.
The banned items include uncooked meat, poultry and fish products, offal and foods prepared from them, meat of wild animals and birds, eggs with dirty or damaged shells, and homemade foods.
The restrictions also cover unpasteurized milk and dairy products, palm, cottonseed and rapeseed oils, hydrogenated oils and margarines (with some exceptions), foods fried in deep-frying oils, and condiments such as vinegar, mustard, horseradish, hot pepper and other strong spices.
Additionally, hot sauces, ketchup and mayonnaise, carbonated and energy drinks, coffee, concentrated fruit juices, kvass, chips and similar snacks, chewing gum, caramel and cream confectionery products are not permitted to be sold in schools.
The list of prohibited products also includes mushrooms and mushroom-based foods, apricot kernels, peanuts, dishes made from dry food concentrates, fast foods and teas intended for single use.
Officials said school administrators and food suppliers must strictly comply with the established standards. Regular monitoring will be carried out by the agency to oversee school nutrition and control the quality of products. The agency also urged parents to report any violations through its “1003” call center.
At the same time, some parents say oversight remains difficult because they are generally not allowed to enter school buildings, while complaints have been raised about the sale of expired products in cafeterias.
Consumer rights advocate Eyyub Huseynov said the country previously introduced standards for school cafeterias when the State Committee for Standardization, Metrology and Patents of Azerbaijan was operating.
According to Huseynov, the initiative was positive, but enforcement has often been weak because cafeterias are frequently leased to private individuals or companies. In some cases, he said, school administrations maintain close ties with operators, which may lead to violations of food safety rules.
He noted that the situation in regional areas requires particular attention, while public oversight could help strengthen compliance.
Huseynov emphasized the role of parent committees in monitoring hygiene conditions and food quality in school cafeterias. He also proposed introducing cash registers and issuing receipts for cafeteria purchases so that product names, sales times and other details are documented.
Such transparency, he said, would help investigate potential problems and improve food safety.
He added that stronger public monitoring by parents, teachers and school administrators would help ensure effective implementation of the new rules. Students’ opinions should also be considered in improving school nutrition systems.
Huseynov also suggested installing automatic fruit vending machines in school corridors, particularly in large urban schools where cafeteria break times are often too short for all students.
According to him, such machines could promote healthier eating by allowing students to purchase fruit at low prices while also creating a sustainable business model.
He also noted that in the early years after independence, school cafeterias were supplied through a centralized system, but that mechanism was later abolished, weakening oversight.
Reintroducing specialized institutions responsible for cafeteria operations and supply, he said, could help establish a more transparent and effective system for school nutrition across the country.
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