In recent years, food poisoning cases in the province have been reduced; however, the cases have particularly occurred at collective canteens. Provincial Division of Food Safety and Hygiene has taken special care for food safety assurance at collective canteens.
According to the division, by the beginning of 2015, 1,276 have been established (685 in enterprises and 618 in schools) and 223 meal suppliers. The quantity is diversified by the economic development and urbanization of the province.
Some meal suppliers in the province have signed commitments of no food safety with Provincial Division of Food Safety and Hygiene with recommendations on food safety assurance implemented. Photo: C. Ly.
In recent years, food poisoning cases tend to reduce gradually with major incidents in May, June, November, and December. M.D. Nguyen Van Dat, the Director of Provincial Food Safety and Hygiene, informed the investigation results of poisoning cases in canteens that had not been checked, verified, approved, and/or guided with food safety as no agreements on food poisoning prevention or food safety qualifications or assurance has been signed. The time of food poisoning cases incurs in the afternoon at the time of extra working shifts against the cold foods and vegetables.
Statistically, in 2006-2010, 33 cases of food poisoning have arisen affecting 1,834 people. In 2010-2014, 11 cases affecting 487 people have emerged. In the 9 months of 2015, the province has 1 food poisoning case affecting 70 people and 5 cases related to food safety and hygiene.
The provincial division and its functional agencies in districts, towns, and Thu Dau Mot City have regularly carried out inspection and check-up against canteens and meal suppliers in the province. In 9 months of 2015, the provincial division has especially checked canteens of enterprises in industrial parks and rechecked 204 canteens of enterprises outside the industrial parks to discover 16 ones failing the tests; at district level, the same tests have been administered against 242 facilities to discover 76 ones failing. Besides, the inspecting teams have carried out tests and checks-up against 253 school canteens to discover 18 ones disqualified. In the checks-up, the violating establishments have failed to observe the regulations on protective gears, food hygiene knowledge, and prevention of insects and pests. All those violating establishments will be named in the mass media.
So as to improve management of collective canteens, the division has implemented various measures including conferences and workshops of food safety, agreements of no food poisoning, agreements on food safety recommendations, the communication and warnings of food contamination risks, inspection of food safety assurance licenses. Besides, to improve the coordination of sectors and unions, the health department has signed up coordination with industrial parks authorities, Provincial Youth’s League, Association of Women, and Department of Education and Training to preliminarily agree with Provincial Labor Union. The division has signed agreements to evaluate the interference of food safety and recommendation for food safety management against collective canteens for the time to come.
Reported by Cam Ly – Translated by Vi Bao
