Food safety is a public health priority. Globally, millions of people fall ill every year and many die as a result of eating unsafe food. WHO is working to minimize health risks from the farm to the table, to promote food safety.
Food safety is a major concern for the government of Viet Nam. The human costs of food-borne diseases, lost production from diseases and related markets losses surpass US$ 1 billion per year (i.e. 2 per cent of Viet Nam GDP).
Viet Nam’s entry in the World Trade Organization has also generated the need to adapt food safety to international standards. Coordination of activities to ensure safe practices into the entire food chain is a challenging task for Viet Nam’s government.
At present, the Viet Nam Food Administration (VFA) within the Ministry of Health has responsibility for:
- coordinating and updating food laws
- food standards and management
- enforcement, monitoring and supervision of food safety laws
- capacity building of analytical services
- urgent food safety education to meet international standard.