Fines from 1-3 million VND for violations of food safety

Street food business is a popular activity in Vietnam, especially in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Street food business: Fine from 1-3 million VND for food safety violations

Street food business is a popular activity in Vietnam, especially in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

However, this type of business poses many risks to consumers' health if it is not managed and strictly complies with food safety and hygiene regulations.

In fact, many street food businesses often lack food protection equipment such as glass cabinets, covered food containers, and shelves for display.

Violations in this area can lead to serious consequences, affecting not only people's health but also reducing the reputation of business establishments.

One of the violations that is subject to a fine of between VND500,000 and VND1,000,000 is not having tables, cabinets, shelves, equipment, and tools that meet the legal requirements for displaying and selling food.

This is an essential regulation to ensure that food is sold in a clean, tidy environment, free from dust, bacteria or insects. Failure to use specialized equipment or lack of proper display space can make food easily contaminated, causing the risk of spreading disease.

In fact, many street food businesses often lack food protection equipment such as glass cabinets, covered food containers, and shelves for display.

This not only violates regulations but also causes loss of trust among customers. Some vendors also sell food directly on the sidewalk, where there is a lot of dust and heavy traffic, making food easily contaminated by external factors.

Another serious violation is the use of food additives of unknown origin or the use of unsanitary water for processing. These acts not only violate the law but also directly threaten the health of consumers.

Food additives that do not meet quality standards can contain toxic chemicals, cause food poisoning, and even cause serious long-term illnesses.

Using unsanitary water for food preparation is one of the common causes of diseases such as acute diarrhea, food poisoning, and gastrointestinal infections.

Businesses that do not pay attention to using clean water or do not ensure hygiene during food processing will increase the risk of spreading diseases in the community.

In particular, regulations on the health of food handlers are also very important. If food handlers are infected with infectious diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis A, E, or tuberculosis, bacteria and viruses can enter the food, causing harm to the health of consumers.

These diseases are easily transmitted through food, and unhealthy food handlers cannot ensure food hygiene and safety.

Acts subject to fines ranging from VND 1,000,000 to VND 3,000,000 include using processing tools, packaging materials, or equipment in direct contact with food that do not ensure food hygiene and safety according to regulations; food processors suffering from infectious diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid, hepatitis A, E, infectious dermatitis, tuberculosis or acute diarrhea;

Using food additives that are not in accordance with regulations, or additives that have been divided or decanted without ensuring safety during processing; using unsanitary water to process food or clean processing and eating equipment and utensils.

Food safety violations can have serious consequences for public health, especially in the street food business environment, where the number of customers is large and risk factors cannot be fully controlled.

Using unsanitary food, with uncontrolled origin and quality, can cause consumers to suffer from serious illnesses.

Foodborne diseases are responsible for millions of deaths each year globally, according to a study from the World Health Organization (WHO).

In Vietnam, diseases related to acute diarrhea, food poisoning, and foodborne diseases are on the rise, especially in big cities where street food is very popular.

To minimize risks and violations, street food businesses need to strictly implement food safety measures, including investing in facilities: Businesses need to use tools, equipment for processing and storing food according to food hygiene and safety standards. In particular, it is necessary to use food protection means such as glass cabinets, covered containers, and standard processing tools.

Ensure the health of food handlers: Food handlers must undergo regular health checks, be free of infectious diseases, and follow hygiene procedures when preparing food. Establishments must also require employees to wear gloves and masks when preparing and serving food.

Regularly check and improve water quality: Ensure clean water is used during processing and cleaning of equipment. Facilities can install standard water filtration systems to prevent water contamination risks.

Strengthening supervision and handling of violations: Authorities need to continue to closely monitor street food businesses and strictly handle violations. In addition, it is necessary to organize training courses and propaganda for business owners and processors on food safety regulations.

Ensuring food safety in street food business is an issue that needs to be focused on to protect public health. Regulations on penalties and remedial measures in ensuring food hygiene are necessary and appropriate to reality.

However, to achieve long-term effectiveness, in addition to strict punishment, there needs to be coordination between authorities and business owners in raising awareness and responsibility for protecting consumer health.

Strictly implementing food safety regulations not only helps protect consumers from diseases but also improves service quality and builds reputation for the street food industry.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/kinh-doanh-thuc-an-duong-pho-phat-tu-1-3-trieu-dong-voi-hanh-vi-vi-pham-an-toan-thuc-pham-d241571.html