Shocking Flaws: What Our Kids Eat in Arcades!

Shocking Flaws: What Our Kids Eat in Arcades!

In 2024, the Inspekcja Jakości Handlowej Artykułów Rolno-Spożywczych (IJHARS) carried out comprehensive inspections in dining establishments within arcades. The aim of the inspection was to check the quality of the food and desserts, which are often used for birthday parties and family visits. The inspection covered a total of 85 catering establishments across the country, of which 73 (85.9%) were found to have significant deficiencies. According to Radio Zet, the inspectors contributed to the analysis of 66 samples that were subjected to both ingredients and hygiene testing.

The official inspectors checked the accuracy of the information about the dishes, the ingredients, the presence of allergens and the organoleptic properties of the products. In particular, the findings about the ingredients used were alarming: in several cases, products containing vegetable fats were used instead of real dairy products. This was found, for example, with the “yoghurt” sauce for burgers, which actually consisted of a product containing vegetable fat. Inspectors also found mozzarella substitutes in the pizza, which should be very worrying for parents of children who often dine at these establishments.

Shocking results and legal consequences

In addition to the inferior ingredients, several violations of the regulations were also found in the tested samples: Not only was information about the ingredients and allergens missing, but also information about the producer of the food. In addition, in some dishes the oregano specified was completely absent. This is particularly concerning because many of these foods are served to children who may be allergic to certain ingredients. For this reason, the matters regarding the expired raw materials as well as the missing allergens have been referred to the relevant authorities, including the Sanepid and the Veterinary Inspectorate, such as dlahandlu.pl reported.

A total of 11 fines were imposed and 6 fines were issued to responsible individuals. In addition, the affected institutions received 21 binding recommendations to improve the quality of their products. It is particularly worrying that overdue products such as cheese and ham that were not suitable for consumption were found in one company.

Parents and children in focus

The results clearly show that many children are exposed in these entertainment establishments while being served untested and potentially harmful food. Over 56% of the products examined contained false or illegal information, significantly reducing transparency for consumers. The imaginative names of the dishes such as “mouse” or “shark” make it difficult for parents to identify the actual contents of the dishes, further endangering consumer safety.

The inspection made it clear that parents have the right to be informed about what is being served to their children, including the ingredients in the dishes placed. The inspectors' reports should serve as a wake-up call for the catering industry to ensure food served to children is of the highest quality and meets legal requirements.