Hanoi discovered 10,240 establishments violating food safety

On November 28, at the online conference between the Hanoi Food Safety Steering Committee and localities, Mr. Vu Cao Cuong, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Health, said that the city currently has 76,807 establishments producing, processing, trading food, catering services, and street food; in the first 10 months of 2023 alone, the city has maintained food safety assurance in 100% of wards and towns and 60 civilized streets in 30 districts, towns, and cities.

Hanoi has maintained and expanded the food safety control model at crowded parties to proactively prevent food poisoning in the city in 2023 with 440 communes, wards, and towns/20 districts, towns, and cities. To date, 65,371 parties have been monitored and consulted.

According to Mr. Vu Cao Cuong, the city is currently maintaining a good model of improving the capacity of self-management of collective kitchens (BATT) in schools in 10 districts; continuing to build a model of food safety control (BATT) in primary schools in 5 districts according to the plan of the Department of Health, with a total of 215 schools.

Also at the conference, the leader of Me Linh district said that the district has 2,112 food establishments operating in production and business, but up to now, the establishments have converted to cold storage for food and logistics, so food safety inspection at the end of the year is very important. From there, Me Linh district proposed that the city direct units to coordinate with the district to strengthen food safety inspection.

Regarding the 2024 Huong Pagoda Festival, the leaders of My Duc district proposed that the Hanoi Department of Health, the Food Safety Department and the district participate in organizing training courses for shop owners and workers participating in processing facilities in Huong Pagoda. The district will resolutely inspect, handle and revoke business licenses if the facilities do not ensure or violate food safety regulations.

Regarding the handling of food safety violations, a representative of the Hanoi Market Management Department said that in the first 11 months of 2023, the unit inspected and handled 705 cases, imposed administrative fines of VND 9.22 billion; destroyed and forced the destruction of food products worth VND 11.2 billion. The unit has transferred the files to the investigation agency and handled 5 violations with signs of crimes related to food safety.

Regarding the issue of traceability from one locality to another, Mr. Nguyen Quang Trung, Deputy Head of the Hanoi Food Safety and Hygiene Department, said that since the implementation of traceability, most production facilities are located in other localities. Therefore, when the inspection teams trace the origin, they need to coordinate with the Health, Agriculture and Rural Development sectors in relevant localities and contractors.

Preparing for the peak 3 months at the end of the year, the Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee emphasized that it is forecasted that during the peak of the Tet holiday and festivals, the food safety situation will be extremely complicated. Immediately after the conference, a plan to ensure food safety during Tet and festivals in the next 3 months will be issued, with the peak from December 15 to New Year's Day, Lunar New Year and the 2024 festival season.

Accordingly, the Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee requested the Steering Committees at all levels to clarify and review the work, assign tasks, organize forces, clearly identify key areas and key tasks in each field. If the focus and key points are not clearly identified, it will be very difficult to do.

Units and localities need to face the case directly, not avoid it. If there is a violation, the cause and the results of the handling must be made public. The city will select key areas for surprise inspections, and inspect any content in the stated plan.

Regarding the reception of information and hotlines, the city leaders assigned the Hanoi Food Safety Department to be the focal point to arrange for direct reception of information and feedback from the people 24/7. Publicize the hotline number using personal phone numbers to receive information from the people at any time. In addition, relevant departments and units also have phone numbers to receive feedback.