The Deputy PM, who is head of the Central Intersectoral Steering Committee on Food Safety, requested the implementation of food safety monitoring programmes on a national scale with the focus on the use of chemicals and plant protection drugs in the production and preservation of agricultural products and slaughter hygiene in big cities and agricultural production areas.
The Deputy PM also asked the Health Ministry to strictly control the trading and advertising of supplemented food to avoid misinformation and the misuse of such products.
A report by the Heath Ministry stated that the ministry collected VND88 billion (US$3.78 million) worth of administrative sanctions in 2018 regarding violations of food safety, up 1.4 times compared to 2017.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Public Security, and others also conducted a number of inspections of food safety from central to local levels.
However, there remain several problems including the abuse of plant protection drugs, the abuse of chemicals and antibiotics in agricultural and aquatic production, the use of additives in food processing, and unhygienic slaughter methods.
Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien said that regular inspections and strict punishments remain key solutions to reduce violations of food safety in addition to promoting healthy competition and thetraceability of goods.
