From April 21 through the end of May, Ho Chi Minh City’s Food Safety Management Authority will conduct a comprehensive inspection campaign focused on processed milk, nutritional products, dietary supplements, medical nutrition foods, and foods intended for special diets.

This initiative follows the agency’s recently released inspection plan targeting legal compliance within the food safety sector.

The campaign aims to evaluate how well food manufacturers and businesses follow safety laws, while also identifying, preventing, and penalizing violations.

According to Pham Khanh Phong Lan, Director of the HCMC Food Safety Management Authority, the campaign’s goals are not only to uncover and stop food safety violations but also to address systemic weaknesses in government oversight. Authorities will propose improvements to strengthen the city’s food safety controls.

Focus on high-risk food categories

The inspection will concentrate on both domestic and imported products. Authorities will review the documentation related to product registration and self-declarations, product labeling, and import documents.

They will also verify the origin of raw materials and additives used in food production through purchase contracts, invoices, and certificates of origin.

Facilities will be checked for proper advertising practices, particularly for products that legally require advertising registration. Inspectors will examine promotional materials and supporting documentation to ensure companies follow the law in marketing their products.

Any product suspected of violating safety standards will be sampled and sent to authorized labs for testing.

Crackdown follows major counterfeit milk ring

The inspection campaign coincides with the Ministry of Public Security’s recent dismantling of a massive counterfeit milk ring. Authorities uncovered and seized 573 fake powdered milk brands marketed toward vulnerable groups, including diabetic and kidney patients, premature infants, and pregnant women. The illicit operation generated nearly VND 500 billion (approximately USD 20 million) in revenue.

In response, the HCMC Department of Health also issued an urgent directive to both public and private healthcare facilities, requesting reports on their milk procurement and usage. Initial findings revealed that no hospitals or clinics in the city had purchased counterfeit milk.

This coordinated response across departments underscores the city’s commitment to tightening food safety measures, especially in sectors that directly impact public health.

Phuong Thuy