VietNamNet Bridge – The Ha Noi People's Committee has just approved a project on improving food safety at local restaurants in the 2013-20 period with a total investment of over VND35 billion (US$1.6 million).

The Ha Noi People's Committee has just approved a project on improving food safety at local restaurants in the 2013-20 period with a total investment of over VND35 billion (US$1.6 million).— Photo trithuc

The project, which targets eating and drinking shops and stalls serving cooked or fast food, will be carried out across 176 wards in 28 districts and Son Tay Town.

The news was recently released by the city's Food Safety and Hygiene Department's Deputy Director Hoang Thi Minh Thu.

"It aims to improve food safety in eating and drinking services in all wards and towns," Thu said, emphasizing that it will also help raise the knowledge and awareness to obey regulations for over 85 per cent of food safety officers and over 75 per cent of staff at local eating and drinking service locations.

Accordingly, a Steering Committee for Food Hygiene and Safety and a food safety inspection team, including three to five officials, will be established in each ward and town to supervise food safety.

Each medical station at the wards and towns will have an official who is responsible for food safety.

The city in co-ordination with Ha Noi Medical University will help equip officials with knowledge about food safety and hygiene.

The officials will also be trained and provided with certificates to take food samples by the National Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene Test.

The project initially achieved positive changes after being piloted in the wards and towns since 2010.

"So far, 90 per cent of eating and drinking service locations have committed to meeting food safety and hygiene standards. Inspections and management of food safety were further tightened," Thu said, adding that there was no case of food poisoning in the first seven months of this year.

Source: VNS