16 percent of Hà Nội’s street food stalls violate food safety standards

A street food stall on Nhà Thờ Street, Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – More than 16 per cent of street food establishments which were inspected in Hà Nội violated food safety regulations, according to the city’s Food Safety Department.

Since early this year, the department has conducted the safety inspections at 5,820 street food establishments including facilities at festivals, fairs, exhibitions and tourist areas, including street vendors.

About 83.7 percent of the establishments met the safety standards, said the department.

The municipal Department of Health has provided hotline numbers (0823.88.9095, 0922.55.9095) so that residents can report food safety violations to the Food Safety Department.

Local authorities also held inspections to trace the food origin at 15 kitchens of primary schools and 10 food production facilities, processing and trading establishments which provide ingredients for schools across 15 districts and towns.

From the 324 supervised establishments, 298 met the requirements.

The city also managed food safety at big parties at 440 communes and wards of 20 districts and towns.

The inspection teams instructed local people to follow food safety regulations at big family parties to ensure that one hundred per cent of households signed commitments to ensure food safety.

Local authorities have piloted the model of food safety control for catering services and street food around school gates in Tràng Tiền and Hàng Trống wards, Hoàn Kiếm District where 21 restaurants, three hotels, 52 food stalls, 24 street food establishments and five food establishments are located.

Of these, 67 out of 73 establishments have valid certificates of establishments meeting food safety conditions.

According to the city’s Steering Committee against Smuggling, Counterfeit Goods and Trade Fraud, transporting and trading goods of unknown origin and quality are still ongoing.

Low-quality foods include rice flakes, snacks, sausages, chicken wings, frozen food and animal organs. Traders and smugglers changed labels or committed other fraudulent acts to extend expiry dates. VNS