It doesn't stop at just poisoning.

Street food, snacks, or fast food are types of food that are processed and sold industrially, aiming for speed and convenience, and are high in calories (energy), using a lot of oil, fat, and spices, thus becoming a favorite food of many people, mainly children and students.

The number of food stalls near school gates in various localities is increasing day by day, disregarding legal regulations, and operating in countless forms. Notably, the majority of these food items have unclear origins and do not meet food safety and hygiene standards.

Snacks are a favorite pastime for students of all ages. Photo: Ngoc Hoan

Recently, numerous cases of students suffering from food poisoning after eating food purchased from unsanitary street vendors have raised alarm bells about this type of food.

However, the story doesn't just stop at the risk of food poisoning; it also highlights the health effects on those who regularly consume this type of food. The harm isn't immediate (acute) but rather chronic, a gradual, long-lasting impact on students – the primary force that will form the future intellectual workforce.

According to the health sector, this group of foods contains a range of harmful substances such as preservatives, chemicals, additives, and artificial colors; along with residual salt and sugar that are detrimental to children's development, especially lacking essential micronutrients for growth, which in the long term affects children's development, causing metabolic disorders, obesity, etc. Snack foods also make children lose interest in main meals, making already thin children even more stunted.

In particular, harmful substances in food gradually accumulate in the body, eventually causing chronic diseases, the most dangerous of which is cancer (stomach cancer, colon cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, liver cancer, bone marrow cancer, etc.).

Street vendors swarm students after school. Photo: Doan Anh

To protect the health of students, authorities and local governments have implemented drastic measures to prevent street vendors from "encircling" school gates. Recently, the People's Committee of Nha Trang City (Khanh Hoa province) - a locality where a series of incidents have occurred involving students being hospitalized after consuming food sold by street vendors - issued a document to relevant units regarding the inspection and handling of sidewalk encroachment and street vending in front of schools, hospitals, and offices of agencies and units in the city.

In this regard, the People's Committee of Nha Trang City requested schools at all levels in the city to deploy personnel to inspect, monitor, and promptly detect street vending in front of school gates. Particular attention should be paid to school arrival and departure times; upon detecting any instances of street vending, schools should promptly notify the authorities for appropriate action.

But as mentioned, these types of food stalls operate in countless ways, disregarding regulations. Therefore, only educating and setting a good example for children about food safety, and saying no to "dirty" food, can put an end to this danger.

Some parents are also lenient about allowing their children to eat food sold outside the school gate. Photo: Ngoc Hoan

There is still a minority of parents who "indulge" their children by buying snacks and street food after school as a "reward," without considering the toxins that are gradually being absorbed into their children's bodies.

To eliminate this threat, the involvement of both parents and students is needed, along with cooperation from relevant authorities and schools, to achieve tangible results.

Parents need to educate their children to stay away from unsanitary street vendors and food of unknown origin that does not meet food safety standards; they should limit their children's consumption of snacks and food bought from street vendors, and instead prepare breakfast for their children at home or choose restaurants that meet the necessary standards. Parents should also set a good example for their children by not consuming the aforementioned foods of unknown origin or that do not meet food safety standards.

For street vendors and food production and business establishments, strict compliance with legal regulations regarding the origin of raw materials, hygiene conditions of facilities, and equipment used in food production and business is mandatory. Absolutely no production or sale of counterfeit or unsafe food is allowed; and no use of harmful food colorings, additives, or chemicals outside the permitted list is permitted in food production and processing.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/thuc-pham-ban-bua-vay-truong-hoc-khong-dung-o-ngo-doc-319235.html