VietNamNet Bridge – The Health Ministry has requested all provinces and cities to strengthen food safety and hygiene inspections to deal with the increase of food poisoning cases across the country.

Foreigners get a taste of Ha Noi's street food. The Health Ministry has instructed all provinces and cities to strengthen food safety and hygiene inspections in a bid to limit the number of food poisoning cases across the country.

Inspections will focus on food manufacturers and traders, especially businesses producing fast foods, as well as food stalls with public kitchens and street vendors.

Violations of food safety and hygiene regulations will be strictly punished.

Provincial and city authorities were also asked to carry out public awareness campaigns on the importance of food safety and hygiene.

Particular dishes that had a greater threat of food poisoning such as blood pudding, and dishes made of raw fish and vegetables, needed special attention, said the ministry.

In addition, local departments of health are requested to ensure medical staff were ready to give timely emergency aid to food poisoning patients to minimise deaths caused by food poisoning.

Ministry of Health statistics show that 1,649 people were hospitalised for food poisoning in 87 separate cases during the first six months of the year, including 18 fatalities.

Of the total 87 cases of food poisoning, half of them were reportedly caused by micro-organisms, 18 due to natural toxins and three due to chemicals, while the reasons for 22 cases have not been identified.

"Food poisoning cases have recently surged at workplace kitchens and street shops nationwide", said Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long.

Contaminated materials and unhygienic methods of processing and preserving food were blamed for the surge, Long said.

Of nearly 200,000 enterprises inspected so far, about 42,000 did not meet food safety and hygiene standards, accounting for 20 per cent.

Authorities have fined about 12,000 food enterprises for violations of food safety and hygiene, collecting nearly VND4 billion (US$192,000) for State coffers.

* Workers hospitalised with food poisoning

Nearly 200 workers from the garment making Kotop Vina Company in southern Dong Nai Province were hospitalised last night after a dinner at their workplace.

The Tam Phuoc Industrial Park factory workers said they had eaten noodle with seasoned and sauted beef, vegetables, rice, and eggs an hour before suffering from head and stomach aches, vomiting and lightheadedness.

The victims were taken to Long Thanh General Hospital where they were treated for food poisoning, a hospital spokesman said.

About 100 workers were discharged later in the evening while the rest were kept for observation, the spokesman said.

The case is under investigation.

Source: VNS