Ministry of Health expected to lead state management of food safety

The Ministry of Health is actively developing a scheme for a centralized state management authority in the food safety sector, following directives from the Politburo. According to the draft law currently under refinement, the Ministry of Health will serve as the lead agency, coordinating with other ministries, sectors, and People's Committees at all levels to ensure uniformity from the central to local levels.

This information was shared by Dr. Chu Quoc Thinh, Director of the Vietnam Food Administration (Ministry of Health), at a seminar on the draft Law on Food Safety (amended) held on July 31, 2026. Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen stated that the draft law is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly during the October 2026 session.

The draft law focuses on four core policies: food safety management along the supply chain; reform of management and inspection methods; digitization of data systems; and improving management efficiency for street food and ready-to-eat meals. The goal is to transition from traditional management approaches to risk-based management.

According to Pham Khanh Phong Lan, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety, establishing a unified management authority is a key step to resolving inter-agency coordination challenges. The post-market surveillance mechanism in the draft is also expected to become smarter, utilizing digital data to identify high-risk products and facilities instead of conducting broad, non-targeted inspections as in the past.