The national action month for food safety this year will have the theme "Ensuring food security and safety in the new situation", according to a plan which has been issued by Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan.
In the plan, the ministry said that food security and safety has received the attention and direction from the whole political system from central to grassroots levels.
Legal documents on food safety management have been reviewed and supplemented to meet the requirements of domestic management and international integration.
Awareness and responsibility of authorities, organisations, business establishments and the people about food safety have changed positively.
Organic raw material areas and safe food supply chains have been formed.
However, ensuring food safety still has many shortcomings and limitations.
Many business establishments have violated regulations on food safety. Cross-border food smuggling, false food supplement advertising and plant protection drug abuse have complicated developments. Food safety in industrial parks and schools has not been ensured.
As the COVID-19 pandemic is still a high risk, import markets have more technical regulations. Besides food safety regulations, they added regulations for COVID-19 prevention and control.
Thus consumption of agricultural, forestry and fishery products faces many difficulties.
Recognising that food security and safety is an important, urgent and long-term issue that directly affects people's health, the Secretariat issued Directive No. 17-CT/TW on October 21 last year on strengthening food security and safety.
To put the directive into practice, and further strengthen the roles and responsibilities of organisations and the people, the central inter-sectoral steering committee for food safety, of which Minister Lan is deputy head, chose the title for the action month for food safety this year "Ensuring food security and safety in the new situation".
The action month’s purpose is to raise awareness and the responsibilities of all people in food safety.
The action month highlights the roles of organisations, individuals and enterprises while following the law on food safety.
It updates information on safe, high-quality food supply chains, violated establishments, and potential risks of food insecurity and unsafety.
During the month from April 15 to May 15, inspectors will strengthen supervision of food security and safety, and strictly handle organisations, individuals and businesses that violate regulations on food security and safety.
In the month, a communication campaign will be launched to spread regulations on food safety in food production and trading, and limit food poisoning.
The national action month on food safety will start in the middle of next month./.
VNA
