A boost for food safety enforcement

Accordingly, Chairman Tran is the Head of the Food Safety Committee.

The body is responsible for conducting short-notice visits to food manufacturing and commercial companies, food service providers, and street food vendors.

According to Tran Sy Thanh, Chairman of the city People's Committee, ensuring food safety management at all levels is essential, as is raising awareness of the responsibilities of local governments and informing customers.

He underlined the importance of innovating diverse and regular communication methods and forms, thereby changing the awareness of all levels and sectors, especially grassroots and people, about food safety and having peak periods and serious responses to food safety violations.

The move has gradually raised awareness among producers, traders, and consumers while addressing violations, according to the Ha Noi Food Safety and Hygiene Department.

The city is home to more than 77,000 businesses involved in food production, processing, trade, and street vending. These include more than 10,000 food producers, nearly 25,500 food traders, more than 35,000 food service providers, and about 5,800 street food vendors.

Ha Noi has also put in place a thorough program to ensure food safety, with 701 inspection teams visiting over 12,500 establishments during Food Safety Action Month 2024; of these, over 10,500 (84.1 percent) complied with regulations, while 1,814 were found to be in violation.

The city has worked with neighboring provinces to control the sources of food supplied to Ha Noi and ensure food traceability. "Ensuring food safety has required close cooperation among various agencies and institutions responsible for food safety management," the department said.

To prevent food poisoning, Ha Noi has set up a model to control food safety in all kitchens of 214 primary schools in five districts and five wards in the city. Food safety management in canteen kitchens across the city has been under close scrutiny.

Ha Noi has emphasized the role of local governments, management agencies, social organizations, and consumers in raising awareness among producers and traders to comply with food safety regulations and to promptly address any food safety incidents.

The department added that after more than six years of implementing the food safety model, Ha Noi has set up 60 civilized food safety streets in 30 districts and cities, involving thousands of businesses./.