Strengthening solutions to limit food poisoning

In recent times, ensuring food safety in collective kitchens has always been a focus. In the photo: Collective kitchen at a company in Thuan An City

Consecutive incidents related to food safety

According to statistics from the health sector, since the beginning of the year, the province has recorded two outstanding incidents related to food safety, suspected of mass food poisoning.

Specifically, the incident occurred in mid-March, A-Pro Technology Co., Ltd., Dai Dang Industrial Park, Phu Tan Ward, Thu Dau Mot City, organized a party for hundreds of workers. After finishing the party and returning home, many workers showed symptoms of fatigue, stomachache, diarrhea, and suspected food poisoning and went to many general clinics in Thu Dau Mot City, Thuan An City, and Tan Uyen City for examination and treatment.

The representative of A-Pro Technology Company Limited admitted the incident related to food safety and hygiene, apologized to the workers, paid all treatment and hospitalization costs, and did not deduct attendance allowance from the workers for days off related to the incident.

A few days after the incident at A-Pro Technology Co., Ltd., on March 20, at Marie Curie Primary - Secondary - High School (Hiep An Ward, Thu Dau Mot City), 28 students, teachers, and staff of the school showed symptoms of fatigue and slight headaches. Some students felt nauseous and were hospitalized for observation. A day later, all students with symptoms were discharged from the hospital.

Through verification and assessment of the symptoms and manifestations of 28 teachers and students, there is not enough basis to determine the cause of the incident as food poisoning but suspected to be related to food safety.

In addition to the above incidents, since the beginning of the year, the Provincial Food Safety Steering Committee has established 134 inspection teams to inspect 998 food production and processing establishments. Through inspection, the teams have discovered 110 food production, processing and trading establishments violating hygiene conditions, conditions on facilities, equipment, tools, and human resources. The teams have fined 35 establishments with a total amount of over 262 million VND; forced 7 establishments to stop operating and warned 68 establishments.

Currently, the province is managing 15,897 food production, food processing, catering, collective kitchens, and street food establishments. The provincial Department of Food Safety and Hygiene aims to have 90% or more of food production, trading, and catering establishments inspected by 2025.

Strengthening safety measures

Faced with the current situation of food poisoning and food safety incidents, the provincial Department of Food Safety and Hygiene has sent a dispatch requesting the Health Departments and District and City Health Centers to seriously implement 4 contents to prevent and combat food poisoning in collective kitchens.

Ms. Phan Kim Suong, Head of the Provincial Food Safety and Hygiene Department, said that in order to ensure food safety and prevent food poisoning in collective kitchens in the coming time, especially during the hot season, the department requires relevant units to deploy solutions to control food safety and prevent food poisoning. In particular, focus on strengthening measures to ensure food safety in collective kitchens. When symptoms of suspected food poisoning appear, units quickly guide people to the nearest medical facility for timely emergency and treatment. Medical units in the area are ready with plans, standing forces, means, supplies, and chemicals to promptly overcome and minimize the impact when poisoning occurs.

“Along with propaganda work, relevant units need to develop plans to conduct surprise inspections of compliance with regulations on food safety conditions for catering establishments and collective kitchens in companies and schools. During the inspection process, units will advise the People's Committees at the same level to strictly handle violations; resolutely suspend operations of establishments that do not ensure food safety, recall and handle unsafe food and food at risk of poisoning,” Ms. Phan Kim Suong, Head of the Provincial Food Safety and Hygiene Department, added.

Decree 15/2018/ND-CP of the Government detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Food Safety has 3 responsible agencies: the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment ), the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Health. The management, inspection and supervision of food safety has been decentralized to communes, wards and towns, aiming to raise awareness of facility owners regarding collective kitchens and street food businesses.

KIM HA

Source: https://baobinhduong.vn/tang-cuong-cac-giai-phap-de-han-che-ngo-doc-thuc-pham-a345076.html