On March 27, the workshop "Ensuring food safety and hygiene in food production, processing and trading of small and medium enterprises" was organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Center (ITPC).

Ms. Ho Thi Quyen, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Trade and Investment Promotion, assessed that food safety is a big challenge for businesses in the food industry in terms of competition opportunities, as well as increasing exports.

47 establishments violating food safety in 2024

At the workshop, Ms. Quyen informed that in 2024, in Ho Chi Minh City, the authorities inspected more than 19,000 establishments, but recorded inspection records for nearly 14,000 establishments. This number increased by 10.3% compared to 2023.

Thereby, 47 establishments (accounting for 0.3%) were detected and administrative violations were punished with a total fine of nearly 600 million VND. Notably, the rate of violating establishments increased from 0.05% to 0.3% compared to the previous year.

Ms. Quyen said that controlling chemical residues, pesticides and antibiotics in food is the responsibility of businesses.

Citing many countries with "fences" on food safety, Ms. Quyen said that the EU regulates maximum residue levels (MRL) for pesticides and requires clear traceability.

In the US, the FDA strictly controls food safety, requiring inspection and safety certification for imported foods; Japan is applying the "Positive List" system, which strictly prohibits the use of chemicals that have not been tested for safety.

Importing countries are increasingly tightening food safety regulations. Ms. Quyen emphasized solutions to avoid the risk of import rejection, loss of market, and impact on business operations:

"Enterprises need to apply quality control technology to eliminate risks early; build strict inspection processes from input materials to final products; train employees, apply traceability systems... cooperate with independent inspection organizations to increase transparency and ensure compliance with regulations...".

Discuss many solutions on food safety

To meet legal requirements and enhance competitiveness for food businesses, Mr. Ly Hoang Hai, General Director of Eurofins Sac Ky Hai Dang Company Limited, said that businesses need to prioritize improving product quality, improving production processes, and strictly complying with food safety standards.

"Building an effective, transparent and reliable quality control system will help strengthen the brand," Mr. Hai emphasized.

Meanwhile, Ms. Huynh Thi Kim Cuc - former deputy director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City - said that packaging plays an essential role in the food industry because it is not only an outer protective layer, but also a key factor in maintaining product quality.

According to Ms. Cuc, packaging materials are very diverse, from flexible and affordable plastics, to environmentally friendly paper and cardboard, durable metals, glass or bio-materials, opening up more sustainable options.

However, Ms. Cuc evaluates new trends and technologies in food packaging, such as smart packaging, as an environmentally friendly solution, associated with quality and safety for the Vietnamese food industry.

"Smart packaging that can track product quality, active packaging that extends shelf life, and packaging that uses recycled materials…

Businesses need to pay attention to packaging solutions, because they greatly affect product quality," she said.