Investing properly in 'clean meat'

Recently, authorities have repeatedly discovered and dealt with numerous cases involving substandard and contaminated food circulating in the market.

A worker butchers pork at the Hoc Mon wholesale market for agricultural products and food. (Illustrative photo: Huong Giang/TTXVN)

The recently discovered incidents once again raise the alarm about the state of food safety and hygiene, endangering consumer health and directly affecting legitimate businesses. In reality, many legitimate and well-established businesses currently produce products that meet international food safety and hygiene standards thanks to investments in modern equipment.

As the owner of the "BAF Vegetarian Pork" brand, Mr. Nguyen Van Minh, Deputy General Director of BAF Vietnam Agriculture Joint Stock Company, stated that to provide consumers with pork that ensures food safety and hygiene, BAF's disease management philosophy focuses on "Preventing disease through biosafety, using antibiotics responsibly instead of abusing them, and prioritizing the use of beneficial microbial alternatives, enzymes, organic acids, and herbs as top priorities."

To strictly control the quality of products reaching consumers, BAF applies an operational process from breeding, slaughtering, packaging, and distribution in accordance with state-mandated standards and the company's own stringent regulations. From pig selection and transportation to the slaughterhouse, slaughtering, packaging, and distribution, every stage is closely monitored to ensure food safety and prevent the mixing of products not from BAF.

In particular, BAF Vietnam registered and was selected by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine as a pilot unit to implement and operate the traceability system for livestock farms and products of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment . BAF is actively participating in food safety and disease control management programs of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment while proactively applying digital technology in production management and operations.

Currently, consumers still have the habit of buying "fresh" pork at traditional markets. Authorities have also provided guidance to consumers on how to choose fresh pork, emphasizing that it should have a dry surface, a light pink color, be free from wetness or sliminess, and have good elasticity. However, livestock experts also advise consumers to consider another option: buying branded, safe, and traceable chilled pork, which is becoming increasingly common in Vietnamese consumers.

According to Circular No. 33/2012/TT-BNNPTNT regulating hygiene conditions and food safety for establishments trading in fresh, edible meat and animal by-products used as food, the conditions and duration for preserving meat and by-products are as follows: no chemicals may be used for preservation; meat and by-products stored at room temperature may only be sold within 8 hours of slaughter; meat and by-products stored at a temperature of 0 to 5 degrees Celsius may only be sold within 72 hours of slaughter.

Currently, several businesses have invested trillions of VND in modern production lines to produce food products that meet international standards for food safety and hygiene. A prime example is Masan MEATLife Joint Stock Company with its MEATDeli chilled meat product.

This company currently has two MEATDeli chilled meat processing facilities located in Ha Nam and Long An provinces, both equipped with state-of-the-art, synchronized equipment supplied by Marel – a world-leading Dutch company specializing in slaughtering and meat processing equipment. The entire production process follows European chilled meat technology and adheres strictly to the BRC Standard – a global food safety standard established by the British Retailer Consortium.

Besides its modern and advanced operating system, a representative from MEATDeli stated that the company also strictly controls the source of incoming pigs, applying a "three-tier quarantine" system as guided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) and the Food Safety Department - Ministry of Health. This includes: Tier 1: Only healthy pigs are allowed to leave the farm and be brought to the factory; Tier 2: Only healthy pigs are allowed into production at the factory; Tier 3: Only safe pork is allowed to be sold from the factory.

Masan MEATLife Joint Stock Company also shared the entire process of producing chilled meat that meets European standards before being released to the market. Accordingly, upon arrival at the factory, the pigs are given rest, clean water, and careful care, then isolated and listen to relaxing music before being stunned with CO2 gas to completely lose consciousness. This is a humane slaughtering method currently in use and conforms to the chilled meat processing standards of developed countries.

A representative from Masan MEATLife Joint Stock Company added that MEATDeli chilled meat is the first meat brand to achieve BRC certification. This is a global food safety standard established by the British Retailer Consortium. To be certified with BRC, manufacturers must meet requirements such as commitment to innovation, food safety, and clear traceability of origin information.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Minh, Deputy General Director of BAF Vietnam Agricultural Joint Stock Company, it is necessary to move all slaughtering activities to standardized facilities that ensure food safety and hygiene, and to limit small-scale, manual slaughtering. Investing in a standardized slaughterhouse requires significant costs; therefore, existing facilities should serve both internal needs and external customers to improve operational efficiency. Furthermore, to strictly manage food safety and hygiene, the government needs a comprehensive plan for slaughterhouses that is geographically appropriate, suitable for population size, and has convenient logistics. Simultaneously, policies should be created to encourage livestock businesses to invest in slaughterhouse and food processing systems to manage and supply safe, high-quality food to consumers, Mr. Minh explained.

According to VNA

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/kinh-te/dau-tu-bai-ban-cho-thit-sach-/20250630072924607