The Hanoi People's Committee on June 24 held a meeting to review the implementation of the 2025 "Action Month for Food Safety" and outline key tasks for Q2/2025.

The event was chaired by Vu Thu Ha, Deputy Chairwoman of the Hanoi People's Committee and Standing Deputy Head of the city's Steering Committee on Food Safety.

One of the most notable outcomes of the campaign was the large-scale inspection and monitoring effort.

Across the city, 627 food safety inspection teams were established, including 17 at the municipal level, 55 at the district level, and 555 at the ward and commune level.

The city conducted both surprise and routine inspections at 36 food production, processing, and business establishments.

Of these, only 11 met food safety standards, representing 30.6%, while the remaining 25 failed to meet requirements.

Violations mainly involved inadequate infrastructure, improper equipment and food storage, and unsafe raw materials.

Some establishments had open drainage systems, improper storage without shelving, or evidence of insect infestations.

Others were using expired or untraceable ingredients, lacked essential hygiene practices, or failed to follow regulations such as food sampling and three-step food verification.

For nutritional and health supplement products, two municipal inspection teams checked six health food production facilities and collected nine product samples for laboratory testing.

Many of these businesses were uncooperative. Two of the six facilities were closed during the inspection despite having been operating days earlier.

One facility failed to store samples of any ingredients or finished products, and the actual volume of goods produced and distributed was higher than what was reported.

Citywide, 12,781 establishments were inspected. Of these, 11,367 met food safety standards, accounting for 88.9%.

A total of 1,414 establishments were found in violation, and 1,372 of them were subject to administrative penalties, with fines totaling nearly VND12 billion (US$460 million).

Forty-two establishments were issued on-site warnings and required to make immediate corrections.

Fifty-four establishments were ordered to destroy unsafe goods worth approximately VND5.3 billion ($203,100).

Two establishments were suspended for lacking proper food safety certification and failing to meet regulatory standards.

Two criminal cases involving eight individuals were prosecuted for producing and trading counterfeit food products under Article 193 of the Penal Code. Additionally, seven cases were transferred to the police for further investigation.

According to Deputy Chairwoman Vu Thu Ha, strong leadership from Party committees and local governments is critical to the effectiveness of food safety efforts.

As Hanoi transitions to a new two-tier government model on July 1, local authorities must establish food safety steering committees immediately to ensure continuous oversight.

She urged ward and commune chairpersons to review responsibilities and assign personnel to food safety tasks, working in coordinated teams to maximize effectiveness.

Relevant departments must quickly issue detailed guidance, and grassroots authorities must clearly designate focal points for food safety to ensure effective implementation after training sessions.

One of the city's top priorities in the coming months is to ensure food safety during major national celebrations, especially the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2.

Immediate efforts should focus on reviewing food supply chains, transportation, and processing when Hanoi is expected to welcome large numbers of visitors.

Street food vendors around school gates must be strictly controlled due to high food safety risks. Local governments are expected to take primary responsibility for this issue.

As the city plans to pilot lunchtime meal services in schools, food safety must be closely monitored to ensure proper nutrition and hygiene standards are met.

Local authorities are required to intensify public education campaigns, with the Hanoi Department of Health serving as the lead agency in organizing training on food safety standards for vendors.

In addition to interagency inspections, the city has directed departments, unions, district governments, and media outlets to coordinate in promoting public awareness of food safety laws and regulations.

At the meeting, nine organizations and eighteen individuals were awarded certificates of merit by the Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee for outstanding achievements in food safety management.