Restaurant owners who fail to wear gloves when handling cooked food may be fined up to 1 million VND.

Street food vendors who violate food safety regulations may be fined from 500,000 VND to 3 million VND.

Preparing street food in a manner that does not ensure food safety and hygiene can result in penalties - Photo: TTO

Street food poses potential food safety risks.

On February 9th, the Ministry of Health sent a document to the People's Committees of provinces and cities requesting them to ensure food safety in street food businesses.

The Ministry of Health defines street food as food sold by street vendors or mobile food sellers in public places or at events and festivals for immediate consumption without further processing.

Street food businesses can be organizations or individuals selling food from carts, food trucks, or other mobile forms.

Recently, many localities have implemented food safety control measures and guided businesses to comply with regulations. Many eateries, pho restaurants, and other restaurants, especially in tourist areas and food streets, have shown positive changes.

However, the Ministry of Health also pointed out that there are still many small establishments, street vendors, and stalls at festivals that lack the necessary conditions to ensure food safety. Many places lack clean water, have no wastewater treatment facilities, and have unsanitary waste collection practices.

Food processors lack proper training and maintain poor personal hygiene; ingredients are cheap and of unknown origin. Processed foods such as pâté, crab stew, cold cuts, and leftover food are not stored properly, posing a risk of food poisoning.

According to the Ministry of Health, these shortcomings, along with gaps in management and supervision, have led to several cases of mass food poisoning from street food in some localities recently, affecting people's health and causing public concern.

Fines range from 500,000 VND to 3 million VND.

Following the directive of Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long, the Ministry of Health requests the People's Committees of provinces and cities to instruct the People's Committees of communes and wards and relevant agencies to strengthen the management of street food businesses.

This includes requirements that those directly involved in food preparation must receive training in food safety and not have any infectious diseases. The business location must be far from sources of contamination, and food must be displayed on tables, shelves, and racks that ensure hygiene.

Utensils and packaging must not contaminate food; ingredients and additives must have a clear origin and be on the list of permitted substances.

Street food businesses that violate food safety regulations will be penalized according to the law.

Specifically, fines ranging from 500,000 VND to 1,000,000 VND will be imposed for actions such as displaying food without hygienic tables, cabinets, shelves, or racks; food not being covered to prevent dust, dirt, insects, or pests from entering; and not using gloves when directly handling cooked food or ready-to-eat food.

Fines ranging from 1 million to 3 million VND are applied to more serious violations such as using food processing and eating utensils that do not meet food safety standards;

The person directly involved in food processing is suffering from infectious diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, and E; using food additives that are improperly repackaged or divided; and using substandard water for processing and cleaning utensils.

In cases of violations involving the unauthorized use of food additives, all food products will be destroyed.

The Ministry of Health also requested enhanced inter-sectoral coordination, increased post-inspection, public disclosure of violations, and intensified propaganda and training to raise awareness and responsibility among street food vendors, especially during Tet and the festive season, in order to prevent food poisoning and protect public health.

WILLOW

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khong-dung-gang-tay-khi-tiep-xuc-truc-tiep-thuc-pham-chin-chu-quan-co-the-bi-phat-den-1-trieu-dong-20260209190624605.htm