英语新闻丨预制菜论战愈演愈烈

A recent controversy has drawn widespread public attention to pre-made dishes in China, prompting calls for greater standardization and transparency in the industry. Central to the discussion are concerns over food safety and consumers' right to be fully informed.

最近的一场争议引起了公众对中国预制菜肴的广泛关注，促使人们呼吁该行业提高标准化和透明度。讨论的核心是对食品安全和消费者充分知情权的担忧。

The debate began when celebrity entrepreneur Luo Yonghao, known for his outspoken views and livestreaming influence, took to social media site Sina Weibo on Wednesday to criticize the popular Xibei restaurant chain.

这场争论始于周三，以直言不讳的观点和直播影响力而闻名的名人企业家罗永浩在社交媒体网站新浪微博上批评了这家受欢迎的西北连锁餐厅。

Luo wrote that after a recent meal with colleagues, he found most dishes were pre-made and costly, calling the experience "disgusting" and urging the government to require restaurants to clearly indicate whenever pre-made dishes are used. The post quickly went viral, garnering millions of comments and sparking industry discussion.

罗写道，在最近与同事共进晚餐后，他发现大多数菜肴都是预制的，而且价格昂贵，称这种经历“令人作呕”，并敦促政府要求餐馆在使用预制菜肴时明确注明。这篇帖子迅速走红，获得了数百万条评论，引发了行业讨论。

Xibei founder Jia Guolong responded by emphasizing that the chain uses pre-preparation techniques but does not serve pre-made meals. "Not a single dish in Xibei outlets is a pre-made dish," Jia said.

西贝创始人贾国龙回应称，该连锁店使用预处理技术，但不提供预制餐。贾说：“在西北分店，没有一道菜是预制的。”。

The chain opened its kitchens to media for a firsthand look at operations, but the distinction between pre-made dishes and pre-preparation processes remained unclear, fueling further debate. Jia described the controversy as "the biggest external crisis" in Xibei's history, noting a sharp decline in daily revenue across nearly 400 outlets over several days.

该连锁店向媒体开放了厨房，让他们直接了解运营情况，但预制菜肴和预制过程之间的区别仍然不清楚，这引发了进一步的争论。贾将这场争议描述为西北历史上“最大的外部危机”，并指出近400家门店的日收入在几天内急剧下降。

Despite widespread adoption in large chain restaurants, pre-made dishes remain controversial for several reasons: small-scale producers may fail to meet food safety standards; consumers lack clarity on what constitutes a pre-made dish; and some businesses mislead patrons by charging for "freshly made" dishes that are actually reheated pre-made products.

尽管在大型连锁餐厅被广泛采用，但预制菜肴仍然存在争议，原因有几个：小规模生产商可能无法达到食品安全标准；消费者不清楚什么是预制菜；一些商家通过对“新鲜制作”的菜肴收费来误导顾客，这些菜肴实际上是重新加热的预制产品。

Regulatory notices encourage restaurants to clearly indicate their use of pre-made dishes to ensure consumer rights to information and choice.

监管通知鼓励餐馆明确表明他们使用预制菜肴，以确保消费者的信息权和选择权。

According to a 2024 notice issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation and other authorities, pre-made dishes are pre-packaged food products made from one or more edible agricultural ingredients, with or without seasonings and without added preservatives. They undergo industrial pre-processing — such as mixing, marinating, forming, frying, baking, boiling or steaming — and may include seasoning packets. These products are intended to be consumed after heating or cooking and must be produced, stored, transported and sold according to the conditions specified on their labels.

根据国家市场监督管理总局和其他部门发布的2024年通知，预制菜肴是由一种或多种可食用农业成分制成的预包装食品，可以添加或不添加调味料，也可以不添加防腐剂。它们经过工业预处理，如混合、腌制、成型、油炸、烘烤、煮沸或蒸煮，可能包括调味包。这些产品拟在加热或烹饪后食用，必须按照标签上规定的条件生产、储存、运输和销售。

Fresh vegetables or ingredients that have only undergone simple processing, including washing, peeling or cutting, as well as ready-to-eat foods — such as salads, convenience meals, steamed buns, pastries, hamburgers, sandwiches, pizzas and central kitchen-prepared dishes delivered to chain outlets — are not considered pre-made dishes. Heating refers to simple reheating before consumption, while cooking indicates thorough preparation of partially processed ingredients.

新鲜蔬菜或仅经过简单加工的食材，包括清洗、去皮或切割，以及即食食品，如沙拉、便餐、馒头、糕点、汉堡、三明治、披萨和中央厨房准备的送到连锁店的菜肴，都不被视为预制菜。加热是指食用前的简单再加热，而烹饪是指对部分加工的食材进行彻底准备。

The notice outlined measures to strengthen food safety supervision. These include enforcing producer responsibility, verifying raw materials, regulating food additives, revising production licensing, enhancing inspections and promoting clear labeling in restaurants.

通知概述了加强食品安全监管的措施。这些措施包括执行生产者责任、核实原材料、监管食品添加剂、修订生产许可证、加强检查和在餐馆推广清晰的标签。

Earlier, officials from the State Administration for Market Regulation said pre-made dishes do not require preservatives because cold storage, freezing and sterilization ensure safety, while aligning with consumer expectations and risk control requirements.

早些时候，国家市场监督管理总局的官员表示，预制菜肴不需要防腐剂，因为冷藏、冷冻和消毒可以确保安全，同时符合消费者的期望和风险控制要求。

Tan Guijun, director of the Nutrition Department at Tianjin First Central Hospital, told Xinhua News Agency that while fresh ingredients retain nutrients more fully and are generally more aligned with the body's needs, this does not mean pre-made dishes should be dismissed entirely. As long as production, transportation, storage and cooking processes comply with relevant food safety standards, pre-made dishes can adequately meet the body's requirements for calories and nutrition.

天津第一中心医院营养科主任谭贵军告诉新华社，虽然新鲜食材能更充分地保留营养，而且通常更符合身体的需求，但这并不意味着预制菜肴应该完全被抛弃。只要生产、运输、储存和烹饪过程符合相关食品安全标准，预制菜肴就可以充分满足人体对卡路里和营养的需求。

According to previous media reports, consumers and industry insiders said the controversy reflects broader concerns and underscores the need to balance industry efficiency with consumer protection, with transparency, regulation and innovation shaping the sector's future.

根据之前的媒体报道，消费者和业内人士表示，这场争议反映了更广泛的担忧，并强调了在行业效率与消费者保护之间取得平衡的必要性，透明度、监管和创新塑造了该行业的未来。

sterilization

n.灭菌

/ˌster.ɪ.laɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/

pre-made

adj.预制的

/ˌpriːˈmeɪd/