19th Asian Games reveals six dishes for athletes ahead of schedule

As of Aug. 28, all 102,176 food items with long shelf lives, totaling a weight of 796.61 tonnes, have been stored for the upcoming 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, located in east China's Zhejiang Province.

Food items for athletes from the Muslim community are meticulously separated from those intended for athletes from non-Muslim communities.

Upon arrival at the storage facility, the food undergoes a sampling inspection to check for potential stimulant ingredients and a subsequent food safety examination. Any unqualified items will either be destroyed or returned.

The Games' organizing committee has announced that canteens for athletes will open on Sept. 9. Additionally, six dishes, including braised pork belly (Dong Po Rou), stir-fried shrimp, and stir-fried beef with leeks, have been unveiled early.

The committee has curated menus that adhere to international guidelines and also feature specialty dishes from Zhejiang. A food ordering platform will launch during the test events of the Games.

The athletes' canteens will primarily operate on a self-service basis. Areas offering hot dishes will be semi-self-service, while those providing room-temperature dishes, cold dishes, open cooking area offerings, and beverages will be entirely self-service.

Six dishes that will be served to athletes participating in the 19th Asian Games are revealed in the canteens ahead of schedule. (Chinanews.com/Guo Tianqi)

Before finalizing, the menus underwent expert review and were subsequently submitted to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) for examination and final approval. The menus incorporate considerations like food security, stimulant ingredient prevention, nutrition, cooking traditions, and regional specialties, aiming to cater to the athletes' diverse dietary habits and nutritional requirements.

Photo shows a canteen for athletes participating in the upcoming 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Chinanews.com/Guo Tianqi)

Some modifications have been made to the dishes. According to Weng Xiao, who oversees catering in the logistics support department of the organizing committee, chicken, duck, and fish will be served deboned for the athletes' convenience. 

Photo shows a canteen for athletes participating in the upcoming 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, located in eastern China's Zhejiang Province. (Chinanews.com/Guo Tianqi)