He took safe food chains in localities, certified farms and slaughterhouses as examples. He said that the name of household businesses to sell safe food can be searched on internet to encourage people to make safe products. According to reports, 21,811 inspection teams have been set up in cities and provinces countryside as of October 2019 paying visits to 427, 842 business establishments. More than 65,000 business establishes have been found out to violate the regulation. Inspectors collected VND43 billion (US$1.8 million) fines on 12,000 violating establishments. Moreover, inspection teams asked to stop circulation of 169 products and destroyed products of 3,000 other facilities. So far, all cities and provinces have developed 1,492 safe food chains to sell 2,381 foodstuff products at 3,267 shops. However, prevention of smuggled commodities is bumping into difficulties. Besides, it is hard to control killing poultry and cattle in small-scale slaughterhouses in villages or … [Read more...] about Enhancing information of food safety needed: Deputy PM
Beingmate food safety
Vietnam scoops fourth in Southeast Asia food security ranking
A top world rice exporter, the country scored an overall 64.6 out of 100 points, higher than the 62.9 average among 113 countries and territories. Compared to Southeast Asia peers, Vietnam lags behind Singapore (1st place), Malaysia (28th) and Thailand (52th), though ranking above Indonesia (62th), the Philippines (64th), Myanmar (77th), Cambodia (90th) and Laos (92th). Vietnam did well in eight indicators - presence and quality of food safety net programs, access to financing for farmers, change in average food costs, proportion of population under global poverty line, food safety, volatility of agricultural production, urban absorption capacity and food loss - with a score above 75. However, it struggled in public expenditure on agricultural research and development with 1.7 points, and affordability of food with 5.3 points, which fall below the world average of 5.0 and 17.8 respectively. Singapore topped the global index ranking with an 87.4 overall score, making it the only country … [Read more...] about Vietnam scoops fourth in Southeast Asia food security ranking
Canteen food jeopardizes Ho Chi Minh City children’s lives
Ho Chi Minh City children are exposed to life-threatening risks when they eat food and candy of doubtful origin in school canteens, which a doctor warns can cause strokes. City school canteens now sell food items favored by children at cheap prices, including popping candies, coconut jelly, spiced rice paper, soft drinks, iced colored syrup, and dried squids. The kids eat their favorite snacks, which can be bought at VND2,000-5,000 (9-24 US cents), without knowing where and how they were made or whether they meet food safety standards. A canteen staff member at a school revealed kids are currently crazy about stick-shaped dried squids spiced with chilli powder and sugar, and a kind of sour crushed popping candy made of sugar and dried fruit-like particles. Tuoi Tre has discovered that the Vietnamese labels put on the packets of these foods contain insufficient information on its origin and maker. As a result, health problems have arisen. Recently a parent reported that her child … [Read more...] about Canteen food jeopardizes Ho Chi Minh City children’s lives
Hà Nội strengthens development of safe food supply chains
Nguyễn Văn Sửu (third from right), vice chairman of the Hà Nội People's Committee, visits a booth on the sidelines of the conference displaying clean agricultural products. — VNA/VNS Photo Phương Anh HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội will continue to strengthen the supply chain for safe vegetables and meat for the capital city. The announcement was made by Nguyễn Văn Sửu, vice chairman of the city’s People’s Committee, at a conference held in Hà Nội on Thursday to evaluate the city’s programme to develop supply chains, quality management and food safety in the first six months of 2019. Some 727 safe food supply chains have been created between Hà Nội and 21 other localities this year, an increase of 184 chains compared to 2018, Sửu said. More than 40 product brands have been protected such as chicken from Ba Vì, Sóc Sơn … [Read more...] about Hà Nội strengthens development of safe food supply chains
New RoK rules bring challenge, opportunity to Vietnam’s farm produce
Le An Hai, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Department for Asian – African Markets, speaks at the workshop. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – The full introduction of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s positive list system (PLS) for agricultural chemical residues in foods is not only a challenge for Vietnam’s farm produce but also an opportunity for the country to improve its product quality to access tougher markets. Le An Hai, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Department for Asian – African Markets, told a workshop held by the MoIT and the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) in Ho Chi Minh City on June 21 to update Vietnamese businesses operating in agricultural production and export on the PLS. The RoK introduced the PLS for imported nuts and tropical fruits in December, 2016, and the country plans to implement the PLS for all agricultural products starting from January 1, 2019, said … [Read more...] about New RoK rules bring challenge, opportunity to Vietnam’s farm produce