Food safety assurance conditions in Vietnam

Food safety assurance conditions in Vietnam (Internet image)

Food safety assurance conditions are specified in Articles 10 to 18 of the Law on Food Safety 2010, specifically as follows:

1. General conditions on food safety assurance in Vietnam

- To conform with relevant technical regulations, to meet limit requirements for pathogenic microorganisms, residues of plant protection drugs or veterinary drugs, heavy metals, contaminants and other substances in food that may cause harm to human health and life.

- Depending on each type of food, in addition to the conditions above, food must comply with one or more of the following regulations:

+ Regulations on use of food additives and processing aids in food production and trading:

+ Regulations on food packaging and labeling;

+ Regulations on food preservation.

2. Safety assurance conditions for fresh and raw food in Vietnam

- To meet the conditions specified in Section 1.

- To guarantee the origin tracing under Article 54 of Law on Food Safety 2010.

- To have veterinary hygiene certificates issued by competent veterinary agencies for fresh and raw food of animal origin under the animal health law.

3. Safety assurance conditions for processed food in Vietnam

- To meet the conditions specified in Section 1.

- Original materials of food must be safe and retain their inherent properties. Materials forming a food must not interact with one another to create products harmful to human health and life.

- Prepackaged processed food must have regulation conformity announcements registered with competent state agencies prior to market sale.

The Government shall specify the registration of regulation conformity announcements of prepackaged processed food and their validity term.

4. Safety assurance conditions for micronutrient-fortified food in Vietnam

- To meet the conditions specified in Section 1.

- Original materials of food must be safe and retain their inherent properties. Materials forming a food must not interact with one another to create products harmful to human health and life.

- Only micronutrients being vitamins, minerals and trace elements on the Minister of Health's list may be added to food with a content unharmful to human health and life.

5. Safety assurance conditions for functional foods in Vietnam

- To meet the conditions specified in Section 1.

- To have scientific information and documents proving the effects of their ingredients that create the announced functions.

- Functional foods which are first put on market sale must have a report on testing of their effect.

- The Minister of Health shall specify the management of functional foods.

6. Safety assurance conditions for genetically modified food in Vietnam

- To meet the conditions specified in Section 1.

- To comply with the Government's regulations on safety assurance for human health and the environment.

7. Safety assurance conditions for irradiated food in Vietnam

- To meet the conditions specified in Section 1.

- To be on the list of food permitted for irradiation.

- To meet regulations on irradiation doses.

- The Minister of Health, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Minister of Industry and Trade shall promulgate lists of food permitted for irradiation and allowable irradiation doses for food in their assigned management domains.

8. Safety assurance conditions for food additives and processing aids in Vietnam

- To conform with relevant technical regulations, to comply with regulations on food additives and processing aids.

- To have use instructions written on their labels or inserts in each product unit in Vietnamese and another language depending on the origin of products.

- To be on the Minister of Health's list of food additives and processing aids permitted for use in food production and trading.

- To register regulation conformity announcements with competent state agencies prior to market sale.

The Government shall specify the registration of regulation conformity announcements and their validity term for food additives and processing aids.

9. Safety assurance conditions for food-packaging tools and food packages and containers in Vietnam

- To be made of safe materials, guaranteeing that they do not release toxic substances, strange smell or taste into food, and they preserve food quality within the shelf life.

- To conform with relevant technical regulations, to meet the Ministry of Health's regulations on food-packaging tools and food packages and containers.

- To register regulation conformity announcements with competent state agencies prior to market sale.

The Government shall specify the registration of regulation conformity announcements and their validity term for food-packaging tools and food packages and containers.

Diem My

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