Decision No. 2985/2004/QĐ-BYT approves the Project to control microbial contamination and chemical residues (including food additives) in food products issued by the Minister of Health.

Pursuant to …;

ON APPROVING THE PROJECT TO CONTROL MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION AND RESIDUES OF CHEMICALS (INCLUDING FOOD ADDITIVES) IN FOOD PRODUCTS

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH

Pursuant to Decree No. 49/2003/NĐ-CP dated May 15, 2003 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;
Pursuant to Decision No. 28/QD-TTg dated January 6, 2003 of the Government Prime Minister approving the National Program on Controlling Microbial Contamination and Residues of Chemicals in Food for the period up to 2010;
At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Planning and Finance and the Director of the Food Safety Agency.

Pursuant to …;

Article 1- Approves the Project to Control Microbial Contamination and Residues of Chemicals (including food additives) in food products, comprising four sub-projects

- Drafting legal documents on food safety (including food additives)

- Enhancing the capacity for testing food safety quality from 2003 to 2010

- Establishing advanced models for implementing measures to control food contamination and foodborne diseases.

- Training human resources for management and testing of food safety quality.

1. Project Name: The Project to Control Microbial Contamination and Residues of Chemicals (including food additives) in food products.

2. Implementing Unit: Food Safety Agency

3. Coordinating Agencies:

- Relevant Departments and Agencies under the Ministry of Health;

- Institutes under the Ministry of Health: Institute of Nutrition, Institute of Public Health, Pasteur Institute Nha Trang, West Highland Hygiene and Epidemiology Institute.

- Provinces and centrally-administered cities;

- Relevant Ministries and sectors.

4. Scope of Implementation: All provinces and centrally-administered cities throughout the country.

5. Objectives

5.1. General Objective

To enhance the capacity to control and reduce the situation of food contaminated with microorganisms and residues of harmful chemicals. To proactively prevent food poisoning and foodborne diseases.

5.2. Specific Objectives

- Completing the system of legal documents on food safety to strengthen the effectiveness of state management in this field

- Enhancing the capacity of staff in the food safety network to control, manage, and test food safety.

- Establishing advanced models for implementing measures to control food contamination and foodborne diseases.

Strengthening material infrastructure to improve the ability to test and accurately assess food safety and residues of harmful chemicals in food.

6. Some Main Solutions

6.1. Completing the system of regulatory documents on managing the quality of fresh food, raw materials (including food additives), and processed foods circulating in the market;

6.2. Building a testing system within the health sector at central, regional, provincial, and district levels with sufficient capacity to control food contamination for domestic consumption, imported food, and nationwide, in line with national and international standards.

6.3. Piloting and widely implementing the application of advanced quality management systems such as HACCP in high-risk food processing facilities to proactively control hazards throughout the food production process.

6.4. Monitoring, evaluating, and expanding community models; focusing on developing community self-management and responsibility for food safety.

6.5. Promoting the dissemination of laws on food safety; raising awareness and knowledge of food safety among food producers, processors, and sellers towards consumers.

7. Implementation

The Food Safety Agency is the focal point, coordinating with relevant agencies and organizations to implement the project to control microbial contamination and residues of chemicals (including food additives) in food products. Taking the lead and coordinating:

7.1. Relevant Departments and Agencies within the Ministry of Health draft legal documents on food safety; standards for fresh food, raw materials, processed foods, functional foods, and food additives; planning and building a testing system with sufficient capacity to evaluate and control food contamination nationwide; managing training activities to enhance professional skills and food safety management; organizing the dissemination and education of food safety knowledge and legal documents on food safety for food establishments, networks, and communities.

7.2. Functional Institutes under the Ministry of Health provide technical guidance to Provincial Health Centers and implement proactive monitoring of food contamination according to assigned regions; participate in establishing technical standards for assessing the quality and safety of food additives, preservatives, and retail ingredients; conduct food safety education and communication in communities.

7.3. Local People's Committees direct the implementation of the project plan and funding at the local level; relevant departments and sectors coordinate in building safe agricultural and food production, processing, and trading areas; supervise, inspect, coordinate, and monitor the implementation of the project.

7.4. Provincial Health Departments and Centers for Disease Control implement proactive monitoring of microbial contamination and chemical residues in food according to the project plan; implement control of microbial contamination and chemical residues in food in model villages/towns, markets, schools, and tourist areas ensuring food safety; establish community models to monitor food safety quality in villages/towns; conduct food safety education and communication in the locality and report regularly.

7.5. Relevant Ministries develop standards for fresh food, raw materials, processed foods, functional foods, and food additives; models and application of the HACCP system in some high-risk food processing facilities; coordinate in building safe raw material areas serving food processing facilities for export and domestic consumption.

Conduct regular inspections every six months and annually; compile the implementation status of the project by units and localities and report to the Ministry of Health and higher authorities.

8. Budget Source

- The State budget (including the annual health service budget of the Ministry of Health, the annual development fund of the Food Safety Quality Assurance Project under the National Target Program for Preventing Certain Social Diseases, Epidemics, and HIV/AIDS).

- Official Development Assistance (ODA) and other non-refundable aid from international organizations - Balancing funds from local government budgets.

- Other lawful sources of funding

Article 2. This Decision takes effect from the date of signature.

Article 3. The Director of the Food Safety and Sanitation Department; Heads of Departments, Directors of Bureaus, Heads of units directly under the Ministry of Health; Directors of Provincial and Municipal Health Services under the central government, and Chairpersons of the Steering Committees implementing Directive 08/1999/CT-TTg of the respective localities are responsible for implementing this Decision.