VN strengthens food safety assurance

Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien checks food safety in Ho Chi Minh City

However, cases of trading and transporting of tainted, rotten or smuggled foods in big quantity have been detected frequently. More worryingly, the cases are just a small part of unhygienic goods in circulation now. Unhygienic beverages and foods cause diseases, affecting health, and threatening life of users.

Therefore, the country has prioritized strengthening the food safety management system and food safety assurance in food production, trading and processing facilities.

The Prime Minister has issued the Decision 20/QĐ-TTg on the National Strategy on Food Safety in the 2011 – 2020 period with a vision to 2030. The strategy points out that ensuring food safety is ensuring interests of consumers and health of people, a frequent task that needs focal instruction of Party organizations and authorities, and responsibility and interests of organizations and individuals who trade or produce foodstuffs, as well as consumers.

One of the 5 specific targets set in the strategy is improving knowledge and practice about food safety for certain groups. Specifically, by 2015, some 70% of foodstuff producers, processors and traders, 80% of managers (including leaders of relevant ministries and sectors), and 70% of consumers will have right practice and knowledge about food safety.

Another target is improving capacity of the food safety management system. By 2015, all large foodstuff production and processing facilities, 40% of catering service providers, 80% of collective kitchens will be granted food safety certificates. Meanwhile, all supermarkets and half of official markets will be monitored in terms of food safety.

By 2015, it is poised to reduce 25% of acute food poisoning cases with at least 30 victims each, compared with the average figure in the 2006 – 2010 period, while the number of acute food poisoning sufferers will be lowered to 8 per 100,000 residents. The rate will decrease to 7/100,000 by 2020.

By 2030, all foodstuff producers, processors, traders, managers and consumers will have right practice and knowledge about food safety; and all foodstuff production, processing and trading facilities will meet food safety requirements.

To this end, the strategy puts forth 3 groups of key measures, including those on management, technical issues and resources.

The Prime Minister has asked the Health Ministry to coordinate with other ministries and sectors to instruct the implementation of the strategy.

By Ngọc Vân