Sally Furniss
Well-known member
Food stalls fail to heed hygiene standards
Thousands of food poisonings, including such related deaths, and hygiene violations are on the rise, representatives from the Ministry of Health and Vietnam Food Administration reported at an online meeting on June 6.
Health authorities step up oversight of food preparation, especially at roadside eateries whose hygiene are often not up to scratch
In response to a month long crackdown on food hygiene and safety (April 15 ? May 15), health inspectors paid numerous unscheduled visits and fined 14,000 food producers a total of VND1.25 billion (US$70,000), said a health official.
In addition, more than 10 cases of food poisoning, affecting nearly 200 people in one month were reported.
Twelve food poison-related deaths were also reported and 1,853 people being hospitalized in the last year, said Dr. Nguyen Cong Khan, head of the Department of Food Hygiene and Safety.
Lax food inspections are blamed on a shortage of personnel, budget and lack of will in dealing with violations.
Under such conditions, unnecessary chemicals in vegetables and fruits and harmful additives, colorings and borax in processed foods have been found during the past month.
Presiding at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan said food hygiene was of the upmost importance. He ordered health departments at district level to provide plans which clean up markets and slaughterhouses, checks on chemicals used in farming and a detailed report of personnel needs and budget requirements to the Government before July 15.
Mr. Nhan asked the Ministry of Health to establish food safety departments in 63 provinces in the country as soon as possible.
In related news, to help raise public awareness, the Ministries of Health, Education, and Information and Communications, and the Central Committee for Propaganda launched a public writing competition based on ensuring food hygiene and safety.
The articles are published from January 1 to November 30.
Articles must asses the role and responsibilities of relevant agencies, businesses and customers to food hygiene and resolutions to the problems.
Work must be sent to the Press Management and Publishing Bureau at 2B Hoang Van Thu Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
By Q. Lap - Translated by Uyen Phuong
http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/National/Society/2009/6/71473/
Thousands of food poisonings, including such related deaths, and hygiene violations are on the rise, representatives from the Ministry of Health and Vietnam Food Administration reported at an online meeting on June 6.
Health authorities step up oversight of food preparation, especially at roadside eateries whose hygiene are often not up to scratch
In response to a month long crackdown on food hygiene and safety (April 15 ? May 15), health inspectors paid numerous unscheduled visits and fined 14,000 food producers a total of VND1.25 billion (US$70,000), said a health official.
In addition, more than 10 cases of food poisoning, affecting nearly 200 people in one month were reported.
Twelve food poison-related deaths were also reported and 1,853 people being hospitalized in the last year, said Dr. Nguyen Cong Khan, head of the Department of Food Hygiene and Safety.
Lax food inspections are blamed on a shortage of personnel, budget and lack of will in dealing with violations.
Under such conditions, unnecessary chemicals in vegetables and fruits and harmful additives, colorings and borax in processed foods have been found during the past month.
Presiding at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan said food hygiene was of the upmost importance. He ordered health departments at district level to provide plans which clean up markets and slaughterhouses, checks on chemicals used in farming and a detailed report of personnel needs and budget requirements to the Government before July 15.
Mr. Nhan asked the Ministry of Health to establish food safety departments in 63 provinces in the country as soon as possible.
In related news, to help raise public awareness, the Ministries of Health, Education, and Information and Communications, and the Central Committee for Propaganda launched a public writing competition based on ensuring food hygiene and safety.
The articles are published from January 1 to November 30.
Articles must asses the role and responsibilities of relevant agencies, businesses and customers to food hygiene and resolutions to the problems.
Work must be sent to the Press Management and Publishing Bureau at 2B Hoang Van Thu Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
By Q. Lap - Translated by Uyen Phuong
http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/National/Society/2009/6/71473/