Circular No. 14/2011/TT-BYT provides general guidelines on sampling food for inspection and quality control purposes related to food safety and hygiene.

CIRCULAR

General Guidelines for Sampling Food for Inspection and Quality Control of Food Safety

___________________________

Pursuant to the Law on Product Quality and Commodities dated November 21, 2007;
Pursuant to Decree No. 132/2008/NĐ-CP dated December 31, 2008 of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Product and Goods Quality;
Pursuant to Decree No. 188/2007/NĐ-CP dated December 27, 2007 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;
The Ministry of Health hereby provides guidelines for sampling food for inspection and quality control of food safety as follows:

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Article 1. This Circular guides the general principles for sampling food for inspection and quality control of food safety.

Article 2. This Circular applies to organizations and individuals related to food sampling activities during inspections and quality control of food safety.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Sampling of food refers to technical operations aimed at obtaining a representative and uniform quantity of food for analysis and evaluation of food quality and safety.

2. Batch of food product is a defined quantity of a type of product with the same name, quality, raw material, shelf life, and produced at the same facility.

3. Sample for testing is the common sample used for testing and evaluating indicators in the laboratory.

4. Retained sample is a sample with the same characteristics as the test sample and is stored at the testing facility, the sampled facility, or another facility designated by the inspection team leader.

Article 3. Requirements for the sampler

Clause 1. Must be a member of the inspection team.

Clause 2. Must have been trained and hold a certificate in food sampling techniques.

Clause 3. Must directly take samples at the facility or according to the inspection team's instructions.

Clause 4. Must prepare and sign the Sampling Record, Sample Handover Record, and affix seals as prescribed in Appendix III, Appendix IV, and Appendix V attached hereto.

Article 4. Responsibilities of the sampler

Clause 1. Must prepare all necessary procedures, tools, and equipment for sampling and sample preservation.

Clause 2. Must strictly follow technical procedures to ensure objectivity and honesty throughout the sampling process, transportation, and handover to the testing unit.

Article 5. Sampling Process

Clause 1. The sampling process must be supervised and fully documented. All signs of inconsistency and damage to products and packaging must be recorded.

Clause 2. After completing the sampling process, the test sample must be immediately handed over to the testing unit as soon as possible.

Article 6. Sampling Costs

Sampling costs shall be implemented in accordance with Article 41 and Article 58 of the Law on Product and Goods Quality 2007 and other relevant laws.

Article 7. Quantity and Method of Sampling

Clause 1. For each product, the minimum and maximum quantities to be sampled are specified in Appendix I attached hereto.

Clause 2. The method of sampling for different groups of products is specified in Appendix II attached hereto.

Article 8. Conditions for Preservation and Storage Time of Samples

Clause 1. Preservation conditions throughout the sampling, transportation, handover, and storage processes must comply with the preservation requirements announced by the manufacturer.

Clause 2. Based on actual circumstances, the inspection team leader decides the retention time for retained samples and test samples.

Article 9. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect from June 1, 2011.

Article 10. Responsibility for Implementation

The Food Safety Authority is responsible for organizing and implementing this Circular in coordination with relevant agencies. Any difficulties encountered during implementation should be reported to the Ministry of Health (Food Safety Authority) for consideration and resolution.

During implementation, any difficulties encountered should be reported to the Ministry of Health (Food Safety Authority) for consideration and resolution./.