Circular No. 57/2015/TT-BCT stipulates the conditions for ensuring food safety in small-scale food production under the management responsibility of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

CIRCULAR

PROVISIONS ON SAFEGUARDING FOOD SAFETY CONDITIONS IN SMALL-SCALE FOOD PRODUCTION FALL UNDER THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE FOR STATE MANAGEMENT

BASED ON THE FOOD SAFETY LAW dated June 17, 2010;art. 6 year 2010;

Decree No. DECREE NO. 38/2012/ND-CP dated April 25, 2012 of the Government provides detailed implementation of certain provisions of the Food Safety Lawt Điều của Luật Giao thông đường thủy nội địa ngày 17 tháng 6 năm 2014;s of the Food Safety Law;

Decree No. DECREE NO. 95/2012/ND-CP dated November 12, 2012 of the Government stipulates functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structureof the Ministry of Industry and Trade 1. This Circular hereby promulgates 18 Technical Inspection Procedures for machinery, equipment, and materials with strict requirements for labor safety under the management authority of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (Technical Inspection Procedures). The names and codes of the Technical Inspection Procedures are listed in the Appendix to this Circular.

Upon pursuant to the decision of the Director of the Science and Technology Department,

The Minister of Industry and Trade issues this Circular to provide for conditions ensuring food safety in small-scale food production under the responsibility of the Ministry of Industry and Trade for state management.This Circular sets forth conditions ensuring food safety in small-scale food production under the responsibility of the Ministry of Industry and Trade for state management of food safety.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Thông tư này quy định chi tiết khoản 4 Điều 38 Luật Thủy sản số 18/2017/QH14 đã được sửa đổi, bổ sung tại điểm c khoản 21 Điều 14 Luật số 146/2025/QH15.

Article 2. Scope of application of this Circular

a) Organizations and individuals engaged in small-scale food production under the responsibility of the Ministry of Industry and Trade for state management of food safety include: Individual, group of individuals, or household establishments producing small-scale food that have been issued a Business Registration Certificate by the competent authority in accordance with the law (hereinafter referred to collectively as establishment or small-scale food production establishment); Organizations and individuals engaged in small-scale food production that are not required to register business operations in accordance with the law shall make a commitment to ensure food safety with the local authority as prescribed and delegated by the People's Committee of the province/city directly under the central government.

SAFEGUARDING FOOD SAFETY CONDITIONS FOR SMALL-SCALE FOOD PRODUCTION ESTABLISHMENTS

b) Other organizations and individuals related thereto.

Chapter II

Article 2. General Conditions Ensuring Food Safety for Small-Scale Food Production Establishments

1. The owner of the establishment and persons directly involved in production must hold a Certificate of Knowledge on Food Safety (still valid) issued by the competent authority.

2. The owner of the establishment has the responsibility to organize health examinations for the owner of the establishment and those directly involved in production at least once a year at a district-level or higher medical facility. Health examination records of the owner of the establishment and those directly involved in production must be fully stored at the production establishment. The owner of the establishment and those directly involved in production must hold a Certificate of Fitness to Produce Food issued by a district-level or higher medical facility.

Article 3. Conditions Ensuring Food Safety for the Production Area

1. The production area must be located at a place that is not prone to flooding, water accumulation, dust, harmful chemicals, animal, insect, and pathogenic microorganism contamination, and must maintain a safe distance from other pollution sources.

2. The production processes of food products must be arranged according to the principle of a unidirectional flow from raw materials to final product.

3. The floor of the production area must be flat, well-drained, non-slippery, free of standing water, and easy to clean; the ceiling must not leak, be damp, moldy, or accumulate water.

Article 4. Conditions Ensuring Food Safety for Raw Materials, Food Additives, Processing Aids, and Water Used in Food Production and Processing

1. Raw materials used in food production and processing must meet the following requirements:

a) Clear origin. Information related to purchase and sale must be retained to trace the origin;

b) Properly stored according to the conditions, standards, and storage instructions provided by the supplier;

c) Not stored together with goods, chemicals, or other items that could cause cross-contamination or fail to ensure food safety.

2. Food additives and processing aids used in food production must be included in the list of permitted uses as prescribed by the Ministry of Health;

3. The establishment must have sufficient clean water for food production and processing in compliance with QCVN 01:2009/BYT - National Technical Regulation on Drinking Water Quality.

3. The facility must have sufficient potable water for producing and processing food in compliance with QCVN 01:2009/BYT - National Technical Regulation on Drinking Water Quality.

Article 5. Conditions for solid waste and wastewater in food production areas

1. The facility must have sufficient equipment to collect solid waste. Solid waste collection equipment must be made from suitable materials and regularly cleaned.

2. Solid waste must be collected, sorted, and stored in covered containers or designated waste accumulation areas in accordance with local environmental protection regulations.

3. Wastewater from the facility must comply with QCVN 14:2008/BTNMT - National Technical Regulations on Domestic Wastewater and be collected into the common wastewater system in accordance with local environmental protection regulations.

Article 6. Conditions for ensuring food safety in food storage and retention

The area for storing and retaining food must ensure:

1. Maintaining temperature, humidity, lighting, ventilation, and other factors that ensure food safety according to the requirements for food preservation set forth by the manufacturer.

2. Measures and equipment to prevent insects and harmful animals.

3. Food products must not be stored together with goods, chemicals, or other items that could cause cross-contamination or fail to ensure food safety.

Article 7. Conditions for ensuring food safety during food transportation

1. The facility owner must post at the facility: Regulations concerning vehicles, methods, conditions for preserving and managing food safety during food transportation within the production area.

2. Do not transport food alongside materials, raw materials, or chemicals that can cause cross-contamination affecting the quality and safety of the product.

Chapter III

PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT, PROCEDURES AND FORMALITIES FOR ISSUING AND REVOKING THE CERTIFICATE OF FOOD SAFETY COMPLIANCE FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE FOOD PRODUCTION FACILITIES

Article 8. Principles of Management

Small-scale food production facilities must be issued a Certificate of Food Safety Compliance by the competent authority delegated by the People's Committee of the province/city directly under the Central Government (hereinafter referred to as the Provincial People's Committee) to manage food safety in their jurisdiction.

Article 9. Issuing the Certificate of Food Safety Compliance and Handling Violations

1. Issuing the Certificate of Food Safety Compliance

a) The application dossier for issuing the Certificate of Food Safety Compliance for small-scale food production facilities as stipulated in Article 10 of this Circular;

b) The procedures and formalities for issuing the Certificate of Food Safety Compliance for small-scale food production facilities as prescribed in Circular No. 58/2014/TT-BCT dated December 22, 2014, of the Minister of Industry and Trade on the issuance and revocation of the Certificate of Food Safety Compliance under the management responsibility of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

2. The competent authority delegated by the Provincial People's Committee to manage food safety in its jurisdiction shall be responsible for:

a) Promoting and guiding safe food production practices;

b) Organizing the issuance of the Certificate of Food Safety Compliance for small-scale food production facilities (Model 4 Appendix attached to this Circular) in the locality according to the delegation of management. Conducting inspections after issuing the Certificate of Food Safety Compliance in accordance with the regulations.

3. Handling violations related to food safety for small-scale food production facilities shall be carried out in accordance with current regulations on handling violations in the field of food safety.

Article 10. Documents for Application to Obtain a Food Safety Assurance Certificate

1. First-time issuance

a) An application form for obtaining a Food Safety Assurance Certificate according to Model 1 prescribed in the Appendix issued together with this Circular;

b) A copy of the business registration certificate for food production activities (certified by the entity);

c) A self-assessment report on conditions ensuring food safety for food production according to Model 2 prescribed in the Appendix issued together with this Circular;

d) A certificate confirming knowledge of food safety of the entity's owner and persons directly involved in food production (a certified copy by the entity);

đ) A certificate confirming health fitness for food production of the entity's owner and persons directly involved in food production (a certified copy by the entity).

2. Reissuance due to loss or damage of the Certificate

An application form for reissuing a Food Safety Assurance Certificate according to Model 3 prescribed in the Appendix issued together with this Circular shall be submitted to the competent authority that issued the original certificate for consideration of reissue.

3. In cases where reissue is due to changes in the geographical location of the production site; changes or additions to the production process, food products, and when the certificate expires

a) An application form for reissuing a Food Safety Assurance Certificate according to Model 3 prescribed in the Appendix issued together with this Circular;

b) Documents as stipulated at points b, c, d, đ Clause 1 of this Article.

4. In cases where reissue is due to changes in the entity name, entity owner, or authorized representative, address, but without changes in the geographical location and the entire production process, food products

a) An application form for reissuing a Food Safety Assurance Certificate according to Model 3 prescribed in the Appendix issued together with this Circular;

b) Certificate of Food Safety Conditions for the establishment that has been issued (a certified copy by the establishment);

c) Documentation proving the change (a certified copy by the competent authority).

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 11. Responsibilities of State Management Agencies

1. The Department of Science and Technology (Ministry of Industry and Trade) shall take the lead and coordinate with the Legal Department, relevant units, and provincial People's Committees to disseminate and guide the implementation of this Circular.

2. Provincial People's Committees shall be responsible for:

a) Assigning and delegating authority to local competent agencies to manage small-scale food production entities within their jurisdiction as prescribed in this Circular;

b) Directing the Department of Finance and related departments to advise and allocate resources and funds for managing small-scale food production entities in the locality.

3. Competent authorities delegated by provincial People's Committees to manage food safety shall be responsible for:

a) Implementing the provisions of Article 9 of this Circular;

b) Organizing inspections of small-scale food production entities according to plans approved by People's Committees at various levels based on delegated management;

c) Publicly announcing on mass media the list of entity owners and small-scale food production entities violating food safety regulations during food production and revoking the Food Safety Assurance Certificate according to regulations;

d) Reporting the results of implementing this Circular to the provincial People's Committee every six (06) months.

Article 12. Responsibilities of Small-Scale Food Production Entities

1. Adhering to regulations on ensuring food safety for food production as prescribed in this Circular and relevant laws;

2. Complying with inspections by competent state management agencies and reporting to the agency issuing the Food Safety Assurance Certificate according to regulations;

3. Providing information/documents upon request by competent food safety authorities.

Article 13. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from April 15, 2016.

2. Abolish the provision regarding "small-scale food production entities" in Clause 3, Article 2 of Circular No. 58/2014/TT-BCT dated December 22, 2014, issued by the Minister of Industry and Trade on the issuance and revocation of Food Safety Assurance Certificates under the Ministry of Industry and Trade's management responsibility.

3. During implementation, if there are difficulties, organizations and individuals should promptly reflect them to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for review, amendment, and supplementation./.