Ensuring food safety during hot weather.

Prolonged hot weather creates favorable conditions for bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens to thrive in food, especially in processed foods, fresh produce, and beverages. Furthermore, unsanitary food storage, transportation, and processing increase the risk of food poisoning, directly impacting public health. In response to this, the Food Safety Department is implementing a comprehensive set of solutions, strengthening management and control, and proactively preventing food poisoning during the hot season.

A team from the Food Safety Sub-Department inspected a food business in Tan Thanh area, Cam Khe commune.

Currently, the demand for ready-made food, fast food, and beverages in the province is increasing sharply, especially in industrial zones, schools, tourist areas, festivals, and densely populated streets. These food and beverage options are becoming increasingly diverse, meeting the convenience needs of residents and tourists. However, these food groups pose a high risk of food safety issues during the summer months due to improper storage, allowing pathogenic microorganisms to multiply rapidly, thus increasing the risk of food poisoning.

In response to the need to protect public health, the Food Safety Sub-Department advised the Department of Health and the Provincial People's Committee to issue plans and directives on ensuring food safety, providing professional guidance, and implementing state management measures on food safety. Simultaneously, the Sub-Department coordinated and deployed numerous inter-agency and specialized inspection teams to food production and business establishments, collective kitchens, schools, industrial zones, and street food vendors. Through regular and surprise inspections, functional forces promptly detected and imposed administrative penalties on two establishments totaling over 50 million VND for violations of regulations on food safety and product quality as stipulated by law. The strict inspection and handling of violations have contributed to raising awareness of compliance with the law among organizations and individuals involved in food production and business in the province. In particular, during the recent Hung Kings Commemoration Day - Hung Temple Festival and Hung Kings Land Culture and Tourism Week in 2026, the Food Safety Sub-Department inspected and monitored nearly 100 food service establishments and street food vendors serving tourists and local people attending the festival; and simultaneously conducted rapid tests on many high-risk food groups. The results of the rapid tests showed that all food samples met food safety requirements, contributing to ensuring absolute safety for the festival activities taking place in the province. This is also one of the key tasks that the Health sector is particularly concerned about in order to protect the image of tourism, culture, and a safe environment of the Hung Kings Land.

Alongside inspection and monitoring activities, communication efforts regarding food safety continued to be intensified through diverse and practical methods. In the first months of 2026, the sub-department collaborated with central and local media agencies to publish numerous news articles and reports; organized 150 mobile awareness campaigns integrated into mobile film screenings in communes and wards throughout the province; and updated and displayed hundreds of banners and slogans promoting food safety in residential areas, schools, industrial zones, and festival areas. This contributed to raising awareness and changing the behavior of producers, businesses, and consumers in selecting, processing, and using safe food.

In reality, along with strengthened management by authorities, many food production and business establishments in the province have improved their awareness of complying with food safety regulations, focusing on investing in preservation systems, controlling raw materials and processing procedures to ensure product quality for consumers. Comrade Dao Anh Thai - Head of the Food Safety Sub-Department, said: “The hot season is a time when the risk of food poisoning is very high. Therefore, in addition to the decisive involvement of functional agencies, each food production and business establishment needs to enhance its responsibility and comply with the legal regulations on food safety. To proactively prevent food poisoning in the summer, people need to choose fresh food with clear origins; not use spoiled or expired food; store food properly; cook food thoroughly, boil water, and maintain hygiene in food processing. For food production and business establishments, it is necessary to strictly implement the conditions to ensure safety according to regulations; enhance responsibility and ethics in production and business; absolutely not use raw materials of unknown origin or additives outside the permitted list; fully implement food sample retention, the 3-step food inspection, and hygiene of processing equipment.”

In the coming period, the Food Safety Sub-Department will continue to closely coordinate with the Departments of Industry and Trade, Agriculture and Environment, the Police, and local authorities to strengthen post-inspection, risk monitoring, and strictly handle organizations and individuals violating food safety regulations; at the same time, innovate communication work, promote the application of information technology and digital transformation in food safety management to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of state management in the new situation.

Food safety is not only the responsibility of state management agencies but also the responsibility of every organization, individual, and the entire community. Only with the joint efforts of all levels, sectors, businesses, and the people can public health be sustainably protected from food safety risks during the hot season as well as in daily life.

Ngoc Thang

Source: https://baophutho.vn/dam-bao-an-toan-thuc-pham-mua-nang-nong-254475.htm