Ho Chi Minh City Strengthens Food Safety Inspections for Year-End and Lunar New Year 2026
HCMC Food Safety Department implements strict inspection plans for school cafeterias, wholesale markets, and food production facilities to ensure consumer safety during the year-end period.
On the afternoon of October 8, during a press conference on socio-economic issues in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Le Minh Hai, Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Food Safety (FSA), announced the specialized inspection plan for the final months of 2026. In the fourth quarter, the primary focus will be on school cafeterias and key food groups that experience high consumption demand during the Lunar New Year holiday.
The HCMC FSA is actively coordinating with local ward and commune authorities to inspect all school boarding cafeterias, aiming to ensure a safe nutritional environment for students. For the Tet food market, large-scale inspections are scheduled from December through January, focusing on wholesale markets, production facilities, storage warehouses, and distribution systems.
According to Mr. Le Minh Hai, a significant change in 2026 is the clear division of responsibilities between the HCMC FSA and local authorities. Small-scale food service businesses and household-level enterprises have now been decentralized to local ward and commune administrations for direct management and supervision.
In response to food poisoning incidents recorded in the first six months of 2026, the FSA has advised the HCMC People's Committee to issue a systematic prevention plan. This new coordination mechanism clarifies the duties of each unit in emergency response, from proactive prevention to incident management, preventing overlap or confusion among regulatory bodies. Additionally, market surveillance forces and the police will collaborate to strictly enforce legal compliance for food production and business establishments.