Ensuring food hygiene and safety.

Sop Cop district has 386 food businesses; 56 food service establishments; 23 street food vendors; 16 collective kitchens and 7 food production facilities. The district has strengthened state management of food safety; promoted communication to raise awareness and understanding among producers, businesses and the general public.

Officials from the Sop Cop District Health Center inspect food safety and hygiene at food service establishments in Sop Cop commune.

The District Health Center has advised the District People's Committee to issue guiding documents; consolidate and strengthen the District Food Safety Steering Committee; and enhance management, inspection, supervision, and propaganda to raise awareness, responsibility, and business ethics of food producers and businesses. It has also organized professional training courses for food safety officers in communes and food production, business, processing, and manufacturing establishments.

Mr. Luong Van Xuan, Director of the District Health Center, said: The Center has organized inter-agency inspection teams to conduct surprise inspections of food production and service establishments. The focus is on inspecting and monitoring food safety and hygiene at schools with collective kitchens, especially the food source; hygiene conditions in the food preparation, processing, and eating areas, and food sample storage cabinets...

From 2024 to the present, inter-agency inspection teams at the district and commune levels have inspected nearly 300 food production, processing, and trading establishments and collective kitchens; they have discovered and handled 7 establishments violating regulations, imposing administrative fines of over 5 million VND for violations such as failure to display product prices and improper food storage.

Ms. Lo Thi Ngan, owner of a restaurant in Sop Cop village, Sop Cop commune, said: "The restaurant purchases food from reputable establishments in the area and has contracts guaranteeing food safety. The family also grows vegetables and raises livestock to support the business. During the processing, the restaurant conducts a three-step inspection process, checking ingredients before, during, and after processing; staff always adhere to regulations during food preparation, ensuring food safety and hygiene at the restaurant."

Officials from the Sop Cop District Health Center conduct rapid tests on processed food samples at food service establishments.

From 2024 to the present, nearly 20 direct and integrated awareness campaigns on food safety and hygiene have been organized; over 50 communication sessions have been broadcast on loudspeakers in communes and villages, guiding people to change unhygienic eating habits that affect their health. Consumer rights have been publicized; guidance has been provided on how to choose and prepare safe food with clear origins and sources, and how to avoid food safety and hygiene issues.

Ms. Lo Thi Anh, from Kha Nghiu village, Pung Banh commune, shared: "Thanks to the guidance from specialized agencies, my family has implemented food preparation practices ensuring food is cooked thoroughly and water is boiled; keeping the kitchen and cooking utensils clean; and using clean water sources. As a result, the health of myself and my family members is always ensured."

To protect consumer health, Sop Cop district directs specialized agencies to continue organizing training for food production and business households and signing commitments to ensure food safety and hygiene. It strengthens management, inspection, and supervision of food production and business establishments; publicly discloses establishments and individuals penalized for food safety violations, aiming to warn, deter, and prevent illegal food production and business activities. It also promotes the dissemination of information on safe food production and business models, products, and food chains.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/xa-hoi/dam-bao-ve-sinh-an-toan-thuc-pham-jT65XZaHg.html