No fish, no meat: why do the new nutrition guidelines need to be rewritten?
Starting in September, a new version of the sanitary and epidemiological requirements for the organization of public catering will be launched. Experts note that SanPiN was expected to introduce innovations that would help improve the quality of nutrition in schools and other social institutions, but the main problems of the current rules remained unchanged. In fact, they make it possible not to comply with the requirements of the legislation on compliance with natural nutrition standards for products and to develop menus for schoolchildren without the necessary amount of fruits, meat, cottage cheese, etc. Read more about the problem in the Izvestia article.
What is the essence of the document?
SanPiN 2.3/2.4.4282-26 "Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for the organization of public catering" were adopted in early June, and will be operational from September 1, 2026. This document will replace the existing rules, which were approved in 2020, and were about to expire, so there was a need to update them.
The new SanPiNs will be valid until September 1, 2032. This is the fundamental state standard that defines the requirements for food safety in Russia.: it combines requirements for commercial catering, social institutions, schools, air carriers, etc. The document focuses on the principles of HACCP (food safety management system), updates physiological consumption standards, operating rules for all enterprises involved in the production and sale of ready—made food, establishes filters for the use of certain types of products, especially in baby food, regulates the flow of technological processes, hygienic requirements for personnel, etc.
However, the experts interviewed by Izvestia stressed that the key document for the entire field of social nutrition has been formally updated and the problems that existed before have not been solved with the help of new SanPiNs.
"Unfortunately, we see that there are no real and positive changes for our children with the introduction of new SanPiNs," said Tatyana Butskaya, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Family Protection, Fatherhood, Motherhood and Childhood. — The document was actually copied from the old version. All the inaccuracies and legal contradictions that had prevented normal operation for years were simply mechanically duplicated.
The MP stressed that the relevant community, experts and the parent wing sent a lot of comments in the framework of public discussions on this document, but they were not taken into account.
The loophole for suppliers has been preserved
The Institute of Industrial Nutrition told Izvestia that one of the key points is the preservation of paragraph 5 of Article 59 in the chapter on the specifics of catering for children. It says that the menu can be adjusted to take into account the climatic, geographical, national, religious and territorial characteristics of the population's diet, "provided that the requirements for the content and ratio of essential nutrients in the children's diet are met."
"But this clause actually allows the heads of organizations and unscrupulous service providers not to comply with the requirements of Law 29-FZ "On the Quality and Safety of Food Products" on compliance with natural nutrition standards for products," said Vladimir Maslov, Vice President of the Institute of Industrial Nutrition. — The menus being developed are checked only for compliance with proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
According to him, as a result, there are menus in the regions that may contain insufficient or no fruits, meat, cottage cheese and other products that are indispensable in the nutrition of children, but at the same time the most expensive.
Vladimir Maslov emphasizes that the authorities were aware of these problems — the facts were confirmed by studies conducted at the request of the Ministry of Education of Russia back in 2022 and 2023 (available to Izvestia). For example, in 2023, dozens of cases were identified when the delivery of dairy products for breakfast was below 10% of the daily norm, and in some it was completely absent, while in others it reached only 11-24%. Only in 28 regions of the Russian Federation, the distribution of dairy products is planned in the breakfast menu in sufficient quantities. In 13%, there was no provision for the delivery of meat products at all.
— It was a loophole for unscrupulous suppliers, which will remain, — confirms Tatiana Butskaya. — Due to the confusion in the SanPiNs themselves, a vicious practice has developed: the menu is checked only on paper according to "proteins-fats-carbohydrates". As a result, Rospotrebnadzor approves such menus, but in fact the natural norms are not fulfilled!
According to her, this situation hits honest suppliers in the market, opening the way for those who are "used to saving on children's health": food organizers cut purchases of high-quality products, and local founders unreasonably save budget money. In fact, the deputy notes, this is an inappropriate use of federal subsidies allocated by the state for full-fledged hot meals.
What barriers should SanPiN have eliminated?
Another important problem that experts point out concerns the rules on the preparation of an individual menu for children in need of dietary (therapeutic) nutrition. According to the requirements of the SanPiN, it should be compiled exclusively by a nutritionist. However, in an educational organization, as well as in children's polyclinics, positions of nutritionists are not provided.
— In 29-FZ, a different interpretation is given: to take into account information provided on the initiative of parents about the child's health status, — says Vladimir Maslov. — It is impossible to fulfill the requirements that the menu should be developed by a nutritionist.
Tatiana Butskaya also calls the dietary requirements absurd and contrary to medical treatment regulations. Experts also suggested introducing options for the development of such menus — a system of standard diets, taking into account the underlying disease of the child according to the prescriptions of the attending physician.
The proposals to the SanPiN also pointed to the problem of discrimination against children in school meals: in some regions there are basic food menus that differ in composition, nutritional value and variety, depending on the set cost, source of funding and, most importantly, income and social status of children. Such incidents, in particular, were noted in the Rostov region and in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. No changes have been made to the SanPiN in this part either.
Tatiana Butskaya draws attention to the fact that legislative renewal was vital, because the old rules "entered into a wedge with federal laws."
— SanPiN was obliged to remove the barriers, but they did not cope with their task and did not solve any key problems. The rules have not yet been agreed with the basic 29-FZ "On the Quality and Safety of Food Products", the Budget Code and 44-FZ on public procurement. The document still uses incorrect concepts, even the term "menu" does not have clear explanations, which allows it to be interpreted in two ways and evade responsibility, - said the interlocutor of Izvestia.
She is sure that the SanPiNs have essentially left schools alone with impossible standards, and called for serious adjustments to the document, bringing it in line with federal law.
At the same time, despite the adoption of new sanitary norms and rules, Rospotrebnadzor can still change them, Tatiana Butskaya believes.
Rospotrebnadzor confirmed that the sanitary regulations have been reissued due to their expiration date and do not contain any new requirements. Izvestia also sent clarifying requests regarding the proposals made by experts during the preparation of new SanPiNs.
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