SDG 2.5.4

SDG 2.5.4 Sustainable food purchases

NCUE has consistently given priority to local, sustainable sources in its purchasing. The cafeterias buy seasonal and local ingredients first, which shortens food miles, cuts transport emissions and supports local consumption, while keeping ingredient quality under control so that students and staff can eat with no worries. The Ministry of Education conducts an annual visit; Figure 1 shows the visit of 9 December 2025. The strategies used are set out below.

Figure 1. Annual on-site catering hygiene guidance visit by the Ministry of Education on 9 December 2025 — Figure 1. Annual on-site catering hygiene guidance visit by the Ministry of Education; the photograph shows the visit of 9 December 2025.

1. With the extreme climate crisis approaching, NCUE upholds two basic principles when purchasing ingredients:

(1) Giving priority to seasonal ingredients.
(2) Giving priority to local ingredients, which lowers the carbon footprint, shortens food miles, and reduces energy use.

2. Under the three-tier campus food safety and hygiene management system, the Ministry of Education makes an on-site advisory visit each academic year. NCUE's Food Management Committee coordinates work across offices, and a dedicated nurse inspects catering premises each week. For the meeting minutes, see Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 2. Official minutes of the 2025 meeting of NCUE's Food Management Committee — Figure 2. Minutes of the 2025 meeting of NCUE's Food Management Committee.

Figure 3. Minutes of the 2025 Food Management Committee meeting published on the NCUE electronic bulletin — Figure 3. Minutes of the 2025 meeting of NCUE's Food Management Committee published on the NCUE electronic bulletin (https://apss.ncue.edu.tw/odedi/doc_page.php?id=.0-4615-263500)

3. To keep ingredient quality under control, NCUE requires and encourages the campus cafeterias to:

(1) Give priority to certified, traceable ingredients, such as produce carrying the Traceable Agricultural Products (TAP) mark, the Certified Agricultural Standards (CAS) mark, or a QR-code traceability label for agricultural, livestock or aquatic products (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Carton of locally sourced eggs carrying traceability labels used in NCUE cafeterias — Figure 4. Locally sourced eggs.

(2) Keep fresh fruit and vegetables safe to eat: NCUE checks cafeteria ingredients based on the agricultural product pesticide-residue monitoring website published by the Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare (Figure 5).

Figure 5. The agricultural product pesticide-residue monitoring website published by the Food and Drug Administration — Figure 5. The agricultural product pesticide-residue monitoring website.

(3) Supervise vendors to register daily on the Ministry of Education's Campus Food Ingredients Registration Platform online, fully disclosing ingredient information (Figures 6 and 7).

Figure 6. Official portal of the Ministry of Education's Campus Food Ingredients Registration Platform — Figure 6. The Ministry of Education's Campus Food Ingredients Registration Platform (https://fatraceschool.k12ea.gov.tw/frontend/)

Figure 7. Example screenshot of a completed daily ingredient entry on the Campus Food Ingredients Registration Platform — Figure 7. Example of an online entry on the Ministry of Education's Campus Food Ingredients Registration Platform.

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