School cafeterias: Low prices are less of a concern than 'personal connections' when choosing a supplier.

bếp ăn - Ảnh 1. — Chairman of the meeting - Photo: QUANG DINH

On December 10, the year-end meeting of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council continued its second working day, questioning the directors of the Department of Food Safety and the Department of Construction. Mr. Vo Van Minh - Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council said that the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council will question and answer two issues.

The first group of issues is the state management of food safety and hygiene in the city. The person answering the questions is: Member of the City People's Committee - Director of the Department of Food Safety Pham Khanh Phong Lan.

The second group of issues is the situation and results of implementing key public investment projects; the implementation of solutions to combat traffic congestion; the results of implementing social housing development programs and plans and the coordination of granting home ownership certificates in apartment buildings in the city. The person answering the questions: Member of the City People's Committee - Director of the Department of Construction Tran Quang Lam.

Mr. Minh added that for related issues, the chairman may invite the directors of relevant departments and agencies to clarify.

Responding first to the questions, Ms. Pham Khanh Phong Lan, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety, stated that the department has been simultaneously working on "building a clean food system and combating unsafe food." According to Ms. Lan, more personnel are needed to oversee food safety because the current workforce is very limited.

Delegate Doan Ngoc Nhu Tam shared the pressure of the industry when the explosion of e-commerce goes faster than current regulations. Bai Dieu Tam asked about licensing online kitchens, is it currently viewed from a traditional perspective, the department's solution on management based on database, assigning responsibility to stall owners, e-commerce platforms.

Regarding school kitchen safety, delegate Tam raised questions about food safety when costs are tightened, which can lead to risks when choosing cheap, unsafe food. The delegate asked whether a base price should be established so that schools can boldly reject abnormally low-priced applications to ensure kitchen safety. The delegate also raised questions about food traceability.

bếp ăn - Ảnh 2. — Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Department, Pham Khanh Phong Lan, answers questions on the morning of December 10th - Photo: QUANG DINH

Ms. Pham Khanh Phong Lan said that e-commerce is a hot issue, the National Assembly is discussing the Law on E-commerce. Traditional markets are difficult to handle without documents, e-commerce markets are even more complicated.

The department said it is applying current regulations to manage kitchens on online platforms such as GrabFood and similar applications. For units that organize their own kitchens to provide meals, the authorities will assess food safety. In cases where the platforms are only linked to stores, these establishments must still be assessed, thereby overcoming the "anonymity" situation in e-commerce.

Regarding school cafeterias, Ms. Lan believes that low prices are not the issue, unlike cafeterias in factories, industrial parks, and export processing zones. The real problem is "nepotism," as some schools choose meal suppliers who are acquaintances of local leaders.

The Department works with schools and kitchen providers, from the perspective that the Department does not interfere in choosing anyone, but assigns responsibility and initiative to the schools. If there is an unsafe situation, the principal must take responsibility.