Changing mindsets to build a safe food ecosystem.

Beyond imposing fines or launching large-scale campaigns, food safety efforts in Lao Cai are aiming to shift from tightening discipline to changing the mindset and practices of each citizen, gradually building a safe and sustainable food ecosystem.

In the mountainous commune of Bac Ha, ensuring food safety and hygiene is no longer just a slogan but has become an integral part of every family's kitchen.

In Bac Ha commune, the awareness campaign has been implemented down to every household.

Since receiving guidance from health officials at their home, Ms. Lu Thi Huong's family in Leng Phang Lang Muong village has changed their old habits regarding food selection and preparation. Now, the knowledge they have gained about choosing clean food, preparing it scientifically, and especially the awareness of using wild mushrooms and exotic insects has helped her protect the health of her entire family.

"Thanks to the guidance from the officials, I've learned to choose clean food and avoid picking strange mushrooms when going into the forest. Now, my kitchen always has two separate knives and two separate cutting boards for raw and cooked food to protect the health of my whole family," shared Ms. Lu Thi Huong.

People are raising awareness about proper food storage before and after use.

The shift in people's awareness is the sweet fruit of the perseverance of the medical team stationed in remote villages.

Ms. Vang Thi Tuyen, a staff member at the Nam Mon health station (Bac Ha commune health station), said: "Thanks to active propaganda, people have raised their awareness and do not use mushrooms of unknown origin, so there have been no unfortunate cases of poisoning in the commune."

In the first quarter of 2026, the entire province organized 216 awareness campaigns with over 7,600 participants. 106 inspection and monitoring teams were organized from the provincial to the grassroots level to inspect over 2,100 food production and business establishments, food service establishments, collective kitchens, and street food vendors. As a result, 2,075 establishments met the standards (accounting for 98.4%); 33 establishments were fined for violations totaling over 127 million VND; and 2 establishments were temporarily suspended from operation (1 centralized slaughterhouse and 1 dried buffalo meat processing facility).

During the Food Safety Action Month (April 15 - May 15, 2026), food establishment inspections were implemented synchronously from the provincial to the commune level. Accordingly, the entire province established 104 inspection teams, conducting inspections of 1,406 food establishments, with 89.5% of establishments meeting the standards. 62 out of 148 establishments (41.9% of the violating establishments) were fined for administrative violations related to food safety, with a total fine amount exceeding 235 million VND. The main violations included: violations of food safety conditions at production and business establishments; violations of price listing regulations, etc.

Alongside changing mindsets, the province has tightened discipline in more than 42,250 food processing and trading establishments.

In 2025, Lao Cai province imposed administrative fines totaling over 1.2 billion VND and destroyed goods worth over 750 million VND. Notably, authorities initiated criminal proceedings in 5 cases of violations of food safety regulations.

Authorities are stepping up inspections and monitoring of food safety at food businesses and school cafeterias.

In addition to strengthening food safety and hygiene control at service establishments, school kitchens are also placed under strict supervision according to Document 2500 of the Provincial People's Committee.

The process, from tracing the origin of ingredients to storing daily food samples, is strictly implemented to protect students from the risk of food poisoning in schools.

Despite achieving many positive results, food safety and hygiene work in Lao Cai in 2025 still faces many challenges, with 4 food poisoning incidents affecting 103 people and 1 death recorded.

Notably, cases of poisoning due to the habit of eating wild mushrooms and unfamiliar insects in mountainous areas, as well as the problem of smuggled food across the border, remain unresolved issues. This situation demands more decisive action from the government and greater self-protection awareness from each individual citizen.

Emphasizing future solutions, Mr. Hoang Quoc Huong, Director of the Lao Cai Provincial Department of Health, said: “We are implementing a focused inspection approach and handling violations without exception to increase deterrence. At the same time, we will continue to promote awareness among the people, especially ethnic minorities, about choosing and using safe food.”

To enhance transparency, in 2026, Lao Cai province launched the Lao Cai FoodSafe digital platform. This is a useful tool that helps people easily trace the origin of agricultural products and find food establishments that meet safety standards.

However, technology and government action are only supporting factors; the most crucial element in building a sustainable food safety "barrier" still lies in the awareness and responsibility of producers and businesses, and the wisdom of the people in their daily meals to proactively protect their own health and the health of the community.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/thay-doi-nep-nghi-de-xay-dung-he-sinh-thai-thuc-pham-an-toan-post900079.html