Investigation into food poisoning incident in Nghe An.

The Food Safety Department has received information about a suspected food poisoning incident at two factories in the WHA Industrial Park (Nghi Thuan commune, Nghi Loc district, Nghe An province), affecting approximately 84 people.

The Food Safety Department has received information about a suspected food poisoning incident at two factories in the WHA Industrial Park (Nghi Thuan commune, Nghi Loc district, Nghe An province), affecting approximately 84 people.

The Food Safety Department has issued công văn (official letter) No. 3090/ATTP-NĐTP, requesting the Nghe An Department of Health to direct hospitals treating patients to focus resources on intensive treatment to prevent any impact on their health and lives. If necessary, they may request expert consultation support from higher-level hospitals.

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Conduct an investigation to determine the cause of the poisoning in accordance with regulations, trace the origin of the suspected food, and collect food and biological samples for testing. Temporarily suspend the operations of the unit that provided the meal suspected of causing the poisoning.

Detect and strictly handle any violations of food safety regulations (if any) and publicly disclose the results to warn the community in a timely manner.

The Food Safety Department also requested the Nghe An Department of Health to strengthen propaganda and guidance for collective kitchens and food service establishments to properly implement regulations on food hygiene and safety, including checking the origin of food ingredients, implementing the three-step food inspection process, retaining food samples, and ensuring hygiene in all processing stages.

In addition, the Department of Health needs to disseminate knowledge about food safety and measures to prevent food poisoning to the public, especially raising awareness about not using food with unknown origin, labeling, and source.

At the same time, the Department of Health needs to strictly implement the directives in the Ministry of Health 's official documents on strengthening the prevention of food poisoning and report on the results of the implementation.

Regarding the incident, the Nghe An Food Safety and Hygiene Department stated that they have taken food samples and sent them for testing to determine the cause of the poisoning.

At the same time, the agency temporarily suspended the operations of BAC Trading Joint Stock Company (located in Vinh City) - the unit providing meals to factories in the industrial park. Inspections were also carried out at the ready-made meal supplier to trace the origin of the food.

According to the latest information, the patients' health is now stable and there have been no cases of deterioration. As of 8 PM on December 6th, 43 patients had been discharged, while 41 others remain under observation.

The Nghe An Food Safety and Hygiene Department stated that during the inspection, the food service provider failed to present certificates of food safety training and health certificates for 5 out of 11 employees involved in food processing. The three-step food inspection logs and food sample storage records were also inspected, but the entries were found to be incorrect according to regulations.

Previously, a food poisoning incident also occurred in Ba Ria - Vung Tau, affecting hundreds of people, and the investigation revealed the presence of dangerous bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella.

To prevent food poisoning, the Ministry of Health recommends that food businesses strictly adhere to food safety and hygiene procedures.

Specific measures include ensuring the clear origin of food. Specifically, establishments need to purchase ingredients from reputable suppliers with food safety certifications. Products must have a clear origin and source, and must undergo quality checks before use.

Maintain cleanliness in the food preparation area, including utensils, dishes, and other food-related items. Ensure adequate facilities such as a kitchen, refrigerator, and food storage area that meet standards.

Implement a "three-step food inspection": This includes checking the origin of the food (raw materials), proper processing (cooking at the correct temperature and time), and food sample retention (storing samples for 24 hours after processing) for testing in case of problems.

Food safety and hygiene training for staff: Staff directly involved in food preparation must receive food safety training, from the use of gloves during preparation to proper food handling procedures.

Adhere to a one-way food processing procedure: Businesses must ensure that processed food is not re-contaminated from sources of contamination. Create a clean food processing and storage environment, avoiding contact between raw and cooked food.

Public health care: Food establishments need to raise customer awareness about the risks of food poisoning, instruct them on how to recognize the signs of poisoning and how to handle symptoms promptly.

To raise public awareness about food safety, according to the head of the Food Safety Department, relevant agencies need to strengthen the dissemination of information and education to the public and food businesses about measures to prevent food poisoning.

In addition, regular inspections and monitoring of food businesses are necessary to promptly detect violations and handle them strictly.

The Food Safety Department and local health authorities have issued directives to strengthen food poisoning prevention efforts, especially in light of the recent increase in food poisoning incidents.

Food businesses must strictly adhere to food safety and hygiene regulations to protect public health.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/dieu-tra-vu-ngo-doc-thuc-pham-tai-nghe-an-d231925.html