Amending the Law on Food Safety: Enhancing Management Responsibility and Protecting Consumer Rights
The Ministry of Health proposes amendments to the Food Safety Law to address existing bottlenecks, enhance supply chain management, and increase corporate responsibility.
The Ministry of Health is currently soliciting public comments on the draft Law on Food Safety (amended). This initiative aims to address practical bottlenecks, clarify the responsibilities of both regulatory bodies and food businesses, and enhance the overall effectiveness of food safety assurance nationwide.
After 15 years of implementation, the 2010 Food Safety Law has shown certain limitations. A notable issue is the mandatory requirement for conformity declarations on all processed and pre-packaged products, which is no longer aligned with international practices. According to standards from the Codex Alimentarius Commission, applying a uniform standard to all product groups is not feasible. Additionally, the new draft will tighten management for high-risk food groups, such as medical nutrition and nutritional products for children under 36 months old, by requiring Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification.
Another significant change is the establishment of a national database for food safety. This will facilitate the interconnected management of market registration, import-export, inspection, and traceability. Modern management tools, such as barcodes and QR codes, will enable authorities to strictly monitor supply chains from farm to table.
The draft also expands the list of prohibited acts, with a special focus on advertising activities. Specifically, it prohibits the use of images, names, or testimonials from medical facilities or personnel to advertise medical nutrition and nutritional products for infants. Fraudulent testing practices, the concealment of food incidents, and the use of unsafe ingredients will be strictly penalized under the new regulations.
The Ministry of Health emphasizes that this legal amendment aims to shift the management mindset from mere post-market inspection to preemptive risk control throughout the entire supply chain. This is a necessary step to protect public health while fostering a transparent business environment for legitimate enterprises.