Circular No. 40/2017/TT-BYT stipulates hygiene and safety standards for food and drinking water, as well as meal quantities for seafarers working on Vietnamese ships, issued by the Minister of Health.

 CIRCULAR

REGULATIONS ON STANDARDS FOR SANITATION AND SAFETY OF FOOD AND DRINKING WATER AND MEAL QUANTITIES FOR SEAFARERS WORKING ON VIETNAMESE SHIPS

Pursuant to Clause 4, Article 67 of the Vietnam Maritime Code 2015;

Pursuant to Decree No. 75/2017/NĐ-CP dated June 20, 2017 of the Government on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;

At the proposal of the Director of the Food Safety Administration;

The Minister of Health issues this Circular stipulating standards for sanitation and safety of food and drinking water and meal quantities for seafarers working on Vietnamese ships.

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

1. This Circular stipulates standards for sanitation and safety of food and drinking water and meal quantities for seafarers working on Vietnamese ships.

2. The subjects to which this Circular applies include ship owners, seafarers working on Vietnamese ships; organizations and individuals, both domestic and foreign, related to the activities of Vietnamese ships.

Article 2. Regulations on Sanitation and Safety for Fresh Food

1. Comply with general conditions for ensuring food safety as prescribed in Article 10 of the Law on Food Safety.

2. Have clear origin, ensuring traceability of product origin and certified as meeting food safety requirements according to regulations; must be stored appropriately in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions or the characteristics of the product.

3. Only products that are not crushed, spoiled, or damaged may be used as food.

4. Fresh food of animal origin must have a veterinary hygiene certificate issued by the competent authority in accordance with the laws on veterinary medicine.

Article 3. Regulations on Sanitation and Safety for Processed Food

1. Comply with general conditions for ensuring food safety as prescribed in Article 10 of the Law on Food Safety.

2. Within the expiry date, packaging not torn or punctured, product not crushed, moldy, or damaged.

3. In addition to the conditions prescribed in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article, processed packaged food:

a) Must have a Certificate of Acceptance of Declaration of Compliance or a Confirmation of Declaration of Compliance with Food Safety Regulations pursuant to Decree No. 38/2012/NĐ-CP dated April 25, 2012 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Law on Food Safety;

b) Must have all required information on the product label as prescribed in Decree No. 43/2017/NĐ-CP dated April 14, 2017 of the Government on product labeling;

c) Must be stored appropriately in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions on the product label.

Article 4. Regulations on Sanitation and Safety for Food Additives and Processing Aids

1. Have clear origin and a Certificate of Acceptance of Declaration of Compliance or a Confirmation of Declaration of Compliance with Food Safety Regulations pursuant to Decree No. 38/2012/NĐ-CP dated April 25, 2012 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Law on Food Safety.

2. Must have all required information on the product label as prescribed in Decree No. 43/2017/NĐ-CP dated April 14, 2017 of the Government on product labeling.

3. Must be stored appropriately in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions on the product label.

4. Within the expiry date, listed in the permitted list, correct dosage, correct food category; packaging not torn or punctured, product not damp, moldy, or damaged.

Article 5. Sanitation and safety requirements for ready-to-eat food

1. Must be covered hygienically to prevent flies, gnats, dirt, rain, sun, and harmful insects and animals.

2. Measures must be taken to heat food to a safe temperature before consumption if it has been kept for more than four hours since preparation.

Article 6. Sanitation and safety requirements for drinking water

1. Drinking water and ice cubes produced and used immediately on board ships must comply with current national technical standards.

2. Bottled or canned drinking water and ice cubes used on ships:

a) Must have clear origin and possess a Certificate of Acceptance of Compliance Declaration issued in accordance with Decree No. 38/2012/NĐ-CP dated April 25, 2012 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Food Safety Law.

b) Must have all required information on the product label as prescribed in Decree No. 43/2017/NĐ-CP dated April 14, 2017 of the Government on product labeling;

c) Must be stored appropriately in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions on the product label.

Article 7. Quantities of meals for crew members

1. Daily energy intake for crew members: For male crew members from 2,926 kcal/day to 3,234 kcal/day; for female crew members from 2,486 kcal/day to 2,574 kcal/day. The quantity and type of food in daily meals are converted based on the Vietnamese Food Composition Table issued by the Institute of Nutrition under the Ministry of Health.

2. Energy from protein, lipid, and carbohydrate components in daily meals should account for corresponding ratios of 13-20%, 20-25%, and 55-67%, ensuring a balanced intake of all nutritional components and vitamins and minerals in daily meals.

3. The number of meals, portion sizes, and reasonable intervals between meals during the day should be appropriate for working conditions on ships; at least three meals per day (one snack and two main meals) should be provided under normal conditions.

4. Selection of food and methods of food preparation should be suitable for the religious beliefs, customs, and culture of crew members.

5. Menus should vary between meals throughout the day; weekly menus should be prepared to ensure sufficient quantities of food according to meal portions, meeting storage and preparation requirements for crew members.

Article 8. Responsibilities for Implementation

1. Responsibilities of ship owners, ship management agencies, and crew members:

a) Adhere to the regulations on sanitation and safety standards for food and drinking water, and meal portion sizes for crew members working on ships as stipulated in this Circular.

b) Report any difficulties or obstacles encountered during implementation to the Food Safety Administration (Ministry of Health) for guidance and resolution.

2. Responsibilities of the Food Safety Administration (Ministry of Health):

a) Provide guidance and inspect the implementation of this Circular.

b) Coordinate with the Transport Health Administration (Ministry of Transport) to resolve any difficulties or obstacles (if any) during the implementation of this Circular.

3. Responsibilities of the Transport Health Administration (Ministry of Transport):

a) Coordinate with the Food Safety Administration (Ministry of Health) to provide guidance and inspect the implementation of this Circular.

b) Summarize any difficulties or obstacles (if any) and coordinate with the Food Safety Administration (Ministry of Health) to resolve any difficulties or obstacles during the implementation of this Circular.

Article 9. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect from December 6, 2017.

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