January and February are the months when many festivals take place. Besides enjoying the spring scenery, visitors often want to sample the unique local cuisine at these festivals. Therefore, the demand for food increases, making food safety and hygiene even more crucial.
Officials from the Quarantine, Diagnosis and Testing Station - Provincial Department of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine inspect food safety and hygiene at a pork business in Thanh Mieu ward, Viet Tri city.
In fact, recently, many food poisoning cases have been detected in various localities across the country, especially involving processed foods such as sausages, meatballs, and fried meatballs. Authorities have also discovered and seized many shipments of animal products that did not meet veterinary hygiene and food safety standards for sale.
To ensure consumer safety during the Lunar New Year festival, the Provincial Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine has intensified its control over slaughtering, veterinary hygiene, and the use of banned substances in livestock farming. From the beginning of January until now, the Department has collected 182 urine samples from livestock at buffalo and cattle fattening facilities and animal slaughterhouses throughout the province to test for residues of banned substances such as Salbutamol, Clenbuterol, and Ractopamin; collected 4 chicken meat samples from 4 animal product businesses in Viet Tri City and Phu Tho Town; and 10 beef and pork samples from slaughterhouses in Thanh Thuy and Lam Thao districts to test for antibiotic residues and microbial contamination in animal products. Encouragingly, no residues of banned substances or antibiotics were detected at any of the inspected facilities.
In addition, to strengthen control over animals and animal products circulating into or through the province, the Animal Quarantine, Diagnosis and Testing Station under the Sub-Department has also intensified coordination with traffic police and market management forces to control transportation through the area. In just the first month of 2025, the Animal Quarantine, Diagnosis and Testing Station under the Sub-Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine and its cooperating forces detected 3 violations involving over 1 ton of spoiled animal organs and animal products, imposing fines exceeding 30 million VND.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy, Head of the Livestock and Veterinary Station of Tam Nong District, said: "During the New Year's festival, the demand for food is much higher than usual, so selecting and ensuring food safety is extremely important. Under the direction of the Sub-Department, the Station has requested the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to advise the District People's Committee to establish and organize an inter-agency inspection team to inspect restaurants, traditional markets, slaughterhouses, etc., in order to ensure food safety for consumers; resolutely handling violations to avoid affecting the province's tourism development."
Mr. Hoang Manh Thong, Head of the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine, affirmed: To ensure the safety of consumers and tourists visiting during the Spring Festival, the Department has directed district-level stations to strengthen coordination with functional forces to promote information dissemination, inspection, and handling of violations of veterinary hygiene and food safety regulations. At the same time, they have proactively advised the district-level People's Committees to direct livestock farms, slaughterhouses, and meat businesses in the area to implement management, production, and business solutions to ensure food safety and prevent unfortunate incidents from occurring.
Phan Cuong
Source: https://baophutho.vn/de-le-hoi-dau-xuan-them-an-toan-227479.htm
