Vietnam Plans New Food Safety Regulations

Vietnam is planning to implement a new law on food safety and hygiene, which is expected to take effect in July 2011.

The proposal requires food production companies and processors to deploy advanced food safety management systems.

Under the proposal, certain food safety management systems such as good agricultural practice, good hygiene practice and hazard analysis and critical control point standards will be included.

The country will form a national strategy on food safety and a safe food production zone, and investments will be made in scientific research and the application of new technologies, according to vietnamnews.vnagency.com..

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will finalise its inspection systems and instruct localities to establish and invest in improving capacity among local departments of Agro-Forestry and Fisheries Quality Assurance.