Hanoi to tighten festival food inspections

Hanoi’s Department of Health will deploy mobile food testing labs to deter unsafe food sold at restaurants and street vendors where spring festivals take place, Nguyen Khac Hien, director of the department, has said.

Interdisciplinary inspection teams, in cooperation with local authorities, will take samples of food at food businesses operating at festivals for tests this month, according to Hien.

Those who were found to violate food safety and hygiene regulations will face fines and be forced to stop business. The Huong (Perfume) Pagoda Festival in My Duc district, which welcomes tens of thousands of tourists each day during the festival time, will be the first to be inspected this month, the official added.  

The mobile testing labs, which could test a raw food sample for different kinds of chemicals or bacteria within 30 minutes or two hours at the longest, will help deterring violated businesses at the soonest time, he said on February 7.

The labs will ease difficulties of inspection work, he added. As usual, there are many food vendors at festivals while the time of testing food at local labs took much time. When the authorised agencies receive food test results, a large amount of food had been sold.  

Previously, the department required all food businesses to sign commitment to follow the regulations on food hygiene and safety.

Last weekend, an interdisciplinary inspection team from the department conducted an inspection on 23 food businesses at Va Temple Festival in Son Tay township. All 10 samples of noodles and five samples of chili sauce met the food hygiene and safety’s requirements. However, only 22 out of 55 bowls were found to meet the hygiene.

The team gave warnings to these businesses. The festival welcomed nearly 1,000 tourists each day.

Another inspection team also inspected two businesses at Soc Temple Festival in Soc Son district and two other businesses in Tay Ho Temple in Tay Ho district. Results showed that the preservation work of raw materials did not meet safety criteria.

Last month, the Ministry of Health’s Food Hygiene and Safety Department has set up six teams and more than 5,100 groups to inspect food businesses in 42 cities and provinces. More than 2,300 businesses were found to violate the regulations, paying the fines of nearly VND8.2 billion (US$361,940) in total.

As many as 22 businesses were forced to stop their operation and 414 kinds of food were seized and culled.

VNA

Other News

Vietnam steps up implementation of ethnic affairs strategy through 2030

Vietnam steps up implementation of ethnic affairs strategy through 2030

To accelerate the implementation of the the Ethnic Affairs Strategy by 2030, with a vision toward 2045, the Prime Minister requested ministries, agencies and local authorities to continue thoroughly carrying out the Party and State’s policies on ethnic affairs, enhancing the effectiveness of State management and strengthening oversight of policy implementation.

Security preparations reviewed for APEC 2027 in Phu Quoc

Security preparations reviewed for APEC 2027 in Phu Quoc

The team examined the APEC 2027 Convention Centre, where main conference activities are scheduled; Sun Serenia Hospital, designated to provide healthcare and emergency medical services for delegates; provincial road DT.975, which connects Phu Quoc International Airport to the convention centre; and the area surrounding Phu Quoc International Airport.

Hanoi accelerates seven Red River bridge projects, many exceed 70% completion

Hanoi accelerates seven Red River bridge projects, many exceed 70% completion

According to the municipal Transport Construction Investment Project Management Board, the city is simultaneously implementing seven projects, namely Tu Lien, Ngoc Hoi, Tran Hung Dao, Thuong Cat, Van Phuc, Hong Ha and Me So bridges. Construction is being carried out on multiple fronts, focusing on bored piles, pile caps, piers and superstructure works.

Dien Bien battlefield legacy powers tourism revival

Dien Bien battlefield legacy powers tourism revival

Seventy-two years after the Dien Bien Phu Victory, its legacy still reverberates. The unity, self-reliance, and resilience forged in that historic triumph remain a powerful internal engine, now propelling Dien Bien toward fast and sustainable development.

Hanoi accelerates shift to green buses, targets 100% by 2030

Hanoi accelerates shift to green buses, targets 100% by 2030

In the 2027–2030 period, the city will accelerate the transition towards the complete phase-out of fossil fuel-powered buses. The share of electric and green energy-fueled buses is projected to reach 79–89% by 2029 and 100% by 2030.

36 fishermen safely rescued after boat breaks down near Truong Sa

36 fishermen safely rescued after boat breaks down near Truong Sa

At 8:00 the same day, KN475 began towing the disabled fishing boat toward Da Tay A island. The towing operation was carried out safely, and by 18:30 both the vessel and its crew had arrived at the island without incident, where repairs and additional support procedures were arranged.

Vietnamese language contest in Laos strengthens youth ties, bilateral friendship

Vietnamese language contest in Laos strengthens youth ties, bilateral friendship

Held in response to the launch of the Vietnamese Language Day among overseas Vietnamese communities, the event aimed to enhance the quality of Vietnamese language teaching and learning in Laos while contributing to the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between the two countries.

Vietnamese language contest in Laos strengthens youth ties, bilateral friendship

Vietnamese language contest in Laos strengthens youth ties, bilateral friendship

Held in response to the launch of the Vietnamese Language Day among overseas Vietnamese communities, the event aimed to enhance the quality of Vietnamese language teaching and learning in Laos while contributing to the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between the two countries.

Hanoi launches 10 electric bus routes from April 1

Hanoi launches 10 electric bus routes from April 1

By the end of April, the number of buses using electricity and other green energy sources in the city is expected to reach 822, including 683 electric buses and 139 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, representing 42.1% of the total number of vehicles.