Increased Frequency of Food Safety Inspections for High-Risk Establishments
The draft amended Food Safety Law proposes a unified management body from central to local levels, focusing on high-risk food control and strengthened post-market inspection.
Ms. Dinh Thi Thu Thuy, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Food Administration (VFA) under the Ministry of Health, has shared details regarding the draft amended Law on Food Safety. A core highlight of the draft is the proposal to unify a single lead agency for food safety management from the central to local levels, aimed at effectively resolving current fragmentation and overlapping responsibilities.
Under the new management framework, the Ministry of Health will serve as the lead agency for state management of food safety nationwide. Meanwhile, People's Committees at all levels will be responsible for overseeing food safety within their jurisdictions, while ministries and sectors will continue specialized management within their assigned fields. Specifically, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible for primary production (farming and animal husbandry), while the Ministry of Industry and Trade handles counterfeit goods, trade fraud, and substandard products.
Ms. Thuy emphasized that unifying the management body will help end the situation of 'one meal, three ministries in charge,' fostering greater transparency and clearer accountability. Notably, for the first time, a legal document has included a specific article governing post-market inspection activities.
Regarding implementation, market surveillance will be strengthened through sampling, inspections, and periodic audits. Inspection frequency will be determined based on actual risk levels. For general food products, establishments will be inspected no more than once per year. However, this frequency will be increased for high-risk food groups or establishments with a record of food safety violations.
The new regulatory approach focuses resources on high-risk product groups and facilities while intensifying market surveillance. Simultaneously, it aims to streamline administrative procedures by reducing the number of products required to register for quality certification with the Vietnam Food Administration.