Ministry of Health mandates stricter food safety oversight and menu transparency in educational institutions
The Ministry of Health has issued directives to strengthen food safety oversight, ensure menu transparency, and strictly monitor school meal providers.
Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen has officially signed a directive addressed to provincial and municipal People's Committees regarding the strengthening of food safety (FS) and the quality of boarding and day-boarding meals in educational institutions. This action aims to strictly implement Directive No. 33/CT-TTg and Official Telegram No. 64/CĐ-TTg from the Prime Minister to safeguard student health.
Under the new mandate, the Ministry of Health requires local authorities to guide schools in developing menus that meet nutritional requirements based on age groups and school levels. Notably, schools must make menus public, review them thoroughly before implementation, and provide updates if there are changes to dishes or ingredients. Responsibilities between schools and meal providers must be clearly defined across all stages—from receipt to preparation—to avoid overlap or accountability gaps in the event of an incident.
In addition to balancing nutrition, the Ministry of Health recommends minimizing the sale of unhealthy food items such as those high in sugar, salt, and fat in school canteens. Educational institutions must strictly adhere to the three-step food inspection process and maintain food samples as required by law.
Regarding oversight, the Ministry requests that local regulatory agencies collaborate to strengthen frequent inspections and monitoring of food service providers. Key inspection areas include: food origin, traceability documentation, sanitary conditions for processing, and the qualifications of staff directly handling food.
Finally, the Ministry of Health emphasizes the need for proactive prevention, detection, and incident management. Provinces and cities must develop contingency plans and conduct drills for managing food poisoning. In the event of an incident, schools must immediately notify health authorities, coordinate emergency care, and preserve food samples in their original state to assist in investigation and traceability efforts.
