Union and Health Department inspect and supervise to ensure workers have delicious meals

The meal was not delicious.

Working at H.S Import-Export Joint Stock Company (Phu Tan Ward, Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong Province), Ms. Ho Thi Ha (from Ninh Binh) shared: “The 19,000 VND portion of rice is hard to swallow, the rice is dry, the food is also poorly cooked. I don’t know the origin, whether the food is hygienically prepared or not. There were several times I tried to eat but couldn’t swallow it. So now, every morning, I try to wake up early, cook food for breakfast and save some to bring to the company for lunch.”

In Tan Uyen City, workers at H.F V.N Company Limited also complained about shift meals. Ms. Duong Huyen (from Tien Giang) reflected: “The shift meals are provided by the company, I think it is less than 20,000 VND/meal. Sometimes the rice is dry, sometimes it is mushy, there is little food, and it is a bit cold. Workers work until 11am to eat their shift meals, but the food is not guaranteed in quality, not delicious, and cold, so they cannot eat much. I think this affects the health of workers.”

In recent months, many workers in Bau Bang district have complained online about the shift meals of A.P.I.N.N Co., Ltd. (manufacturing electronic components). According to the workers, the meals are of poor quality and lack of food portions.

Mr. N.V.T (from An Giang) said: “The company has a lot of workers, if we don’t leave early for lunch, we will run out of rice. There was a day when I arrived late, ran out of rice, and had to buy instant noodles. I saw that every day some people who left last ran out of rice. Regarding the quality of the food, the portion is 25,000 VND/meal, but the food is small, I think it is difficult to ensure the quality. Sometimes the fish and meat are cold, I can’t swallow it.”

Many food safety violations in industrial kitchens

According to the reporter, recently, the Binh Duong health sector has directed functional units to strengthen food safety management in collective and industrial kitchens. Periodic and surprise inspections of kitchens have been carried out. Many industrial catering establishments have been found to have violated food safety regulations and have been punished by authorities.

The Binh Duong Province Food Safety Branch also proactively develops a food safety plan. Conducts inspections, supervisions, post-inspections, assignments, and management decentralization... in kitchens in factories and industrial parks.

According to the Binh Duong Provincial Department of Health, in the past 2 months, many establishments have been found violating food safety. Notably, there are establishments providing industrial meals for workers. The list of violating establishments has been made public by the Binh Duong Provincial Department of Health on the department's information portal.

The main violations currently committed by industrial kitchens include violations in food service business, having an expired food safety certificate; not ensuring cross-contamination prevention between unprocessed and processed food in kitchen layout; not complying with legal regulations on the 3-step food inspection regime; not having tools to collect and contain garbage and waste to ensure hygiene...

In addition, there are behaviors such as leaving the kitchen drain uncovered; allowing insects and harmful animals to enter the processing area; and not ensuring cross-contamination prevention between unprocessed and processed foods in the kitchen layout.