Ensuring food safety and hygiene during the Mid-Autumn Festival

During the 2024 Mid-Autumn Festival, the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa City developed a plan and directed inter-agency inspection teams to check compliance with food safety regulations at food production, processing, and trading establishments in the area, especially those producing and trading mooncakes, confectionery, beverages, traditional foods produced in craft villages and small-scale establishments; wholesale markets; fruit businesses; and food service establishments and street food vendors. The plan included promptly tracing and recalling products that did not meet food safety standards and strictly handling violations.

Inter-agency inspection team No. 1 conducted an inspection at Vincommerce General Trading and Service Joint Stock Company - Thanh Hoa Branch (Dong Tho Ward, Thanh Hoa City).

Mr. Bui Khac Phuong, Deputy Chief of the Office of the People's Council and People's Committee of Thanh Hoa City, said: There are currently about 20 traditional mooncake production facilities in Thanh Hoa City. These facilities have complied well with regulations ensuring food safety; strictly controlled input materials; invested in machinery and equipment; and upgraded and renovated production and processing areas to ensure food hygiene and safety. Product information such as quantity, ingredients, expiration date, and production facility address are clearly and fully recorded on labels. Besides skillful craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail to create beautiful and delicious mooncakes, ensuring food hygiene and safety in production is always a priority for these facilities.

Mr. Tran Van Thuan, owner of Thuan Nhan mooncake production facility (Thanh Hoa City), said that the ingredients for making mooncakes, such as pork, mung beans, lotus seeds, melon seeds, candied winter melon, etc., are all sourced from reputable suppliers, ensuring food safety and hygiene. Furthermore, the facility has invested in machinery and equipment, ensuring safe production processes. All employees undergo health checks and are equipped with gloves and masks during processing.

In Sam Son City, there are two traditional mooncake production facilities and nearly 100 households selling various types of mooncakes, confectionery, and toys. To ensure food safety and hygiene and protect the rights and health of consumers, the city has directed relevant agencies to strengthen market inspection and control. Immediately after receiving the directive from the Provincial Market Management Department, the Sam Son City 389 Steering Committee developed a plan for market inspection and control. This plan focuses on inspecting products that are widely consumed during the Mid-Autumn Festival, such as mooncakes, wine, beer, soft drinks, and children's toys; and maintains a hotline to receive information about violations of the law in the production and trading of goods.

Mr. Nguyen Tuan Tu, Deputy Team Leader of Market Management Team No. 2, Thanh Hoa Provincial Market Management Department, said: For more than two weeks now, Market Management Team No. 2 - Sam Son City has divided into groups to disseminate information and guide businesses producing and trading cakes and candies to strictly comply with legal regulations; implemented the signing of commitments by households to comply with the regulations of the city and relevant agencies during the Mid-Autumn Festival; and intensified inspections, supervision, and decisively handled violations... Through this, awareness has been raised among businesses and households regarding the production and trading of goods to ensure quality.

To ensure consumer rights and promptly detect and handle violations of food safety regulations for Mid-Autumn Festival goods, Thanh Hoa province has established three inter-agency inspection teams, focusing on inspecting compliance with food safety regulations at production and business establishments in 13 districts, towns, and cities. Districts, towns, and cities have also established inter-agency inspection teams to inspect food safety at food establishments according to their management responsibilities and have intensified propaganda efforts to ensure food safety during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Local authorities and units are promoting communication on food safety during the Mid-Autumn Festival through various means. For food production and business establishments, the focus is on disseminating legal regulations regarding the conditions of facilities, equipment, and tools; the knowledge and practices required of those directly involved in food production and business; and regulations on the origin of food ingredients. Regulations concerning the registration of product declarations, self-declarations, the use of food colorings, flavorings, food additives, packaging in direct contact with food, and product labeling.

In a conversation with Mr. Nguyen Duc Toan, Chief Inspector of the Department of Industry and Trade and Head of Inter-agency Inspection Team No. 1, it was learned that: Following the Provincial People's Committee's decision, Inspection Team No. 1 was assigned to inspect 34 establishments. The inspection covered administrative and legal procedures and documents; invoices and receipts; origin and source of raw materials and food additives; hygiene conditions of food production and business establishments; and compliance with regulations by those involved in food processing, such as health certificates and certificates of food safety training. Through initial inspections and assessments at the production and business establishments, the inspection team found that, generally, the establishments demonstrated awareness in learning about food safety and seriously implemented all guidelines from specialized units and the People's Committees of districts, towns, and cities.

However, during the inspection, a few establishments were found to have cramped display spaces; some had not fully complied with administrative procedures, and some had improper storage conditions (ensure shelves are 15cm away from the wall and 20cm from the wall); and some had placed chemical products next to food items. The inspection team reminded and corrected these issues, and requested that the establishments sign a commitment to promptly rectify the problems and submit the results to the team. For units with serious violations, the team will resolutely handle them according to the law.

A typical example is the Luu Thi Lien sausage and ham production facility in Hop Thanh village, Thanh Hung commune (Thach Thanh district), which violated food safety and hygiene regulations. The owner and related individuals lacked knowledge of food safety. The inspection team proceeded to draw up a record of administrative violations and forwarded it to the District People's Committee for a decision on handling the violations. They also recommended suspending and revoking the facility's business license.

Text and photos: To Ha

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/bao-dam-ve-sinh-an-toan-thuc-pham-tet-trung-thu-224954.htm