Despite notable progress in 2024, Ho Chi Minh City’s Food Safety Department acknowledges limitations in resources and enforcement capabilities to handle violations effectively.

Inspection outcomes for 2024

At the annual review meeting on January 10, the Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Department reported inspecting 15,769 food production and service establishments, issuing administrative penalties to 64 facilities with fines totaling VND 812 million.

However, Director Pham Khanh Phong Lan noted that penalized cases account for less than 1% of the inspected facilities.

“Compared to 2023, the number of inspections increased by 10.4%. However, the department still lacks the resources and capacity to detect and address violations promptly,” she admitted.

Food safety concerns

In 2024, the department tested 5,340 food samples for chemical and microbial safety indicators, with 85% meeting standards.

Director Lan expressed concern over bottled water, ice, and fresh seafood, with contamination rates ranging from 10–20% in these categories.

The department plans to intensify inspections of bottled water and ice products to ensure consumer safety.

Regarding concerns about chemically treated bean sprouts sold at Bách Hóa Xanh stores in Dak Lak Province, the department conducted inspections of the chain’s warehouses and stores in Ho Chi Minh City, all of which complied with safety standards.

“I’m not surprised by these results because such incidents often prompt distributors to prepare for inspections,” Lan remarked.

She emphasized the need for unannounced inspections to achieve more objective results in the future.

Linh Thuy