On March 4, the Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health) said that it had sent a document to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety requesting urgent investigation and handling of a suspected food poisoning case related to street food in Vung Tau ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
According to initial information, in Vung Tau ward, many cases have been recorded with symptoms of abdominal pain and nausea after eating bread at a business establishment. Patients are being monitored and treated at Vung Tau General Hospital.
Faced with the above developments, the Food Safety Department requested the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety to direct functional units to urgently implement many measures.
First of all, request hospitals with patients undergoing treatment to focus maximum resources, actively rescue severe cases, and not affect the health and lives of patients. At the same time, urgently organize investigations and trace the origin of food to clearly identify the source of raw materials and food suspected of causing poisoning; take food and specimens for testing to clarify the cause.
Functional agencies must also clarify why recently there have been consecutive cases of suspected poisoning after eating bread in Ho Chi Minh City; strictly handle violations of food safety if violations are detected.
In addition, the Food Safety Department requests to strengthen propaganda and guidance on knowledge to ensure food safety in production, processing, business and consumption; focusing on the group of establishments producing and trading street food - an area with many potential risks if not strictly controlled.
Relevant units must also strictly implement the directions in Directive No. 38/CT-TTg dated October 11, 2024 of the Prime Minister on strengthening food poisoning prevention, and the official letters of the Ministry of Health on ensuring food safety, preventing fake food and food poisoning in street food business.
The Food Safety Department requested localities to continue to closely monitor the developments of the case, make quick reports according to instructions; proactively communicate and soon publicize the investigation results to warn the community of the risk, and at the same time report the results to the Department according to regulations.
The continuous recording of suspected poisoning cases after eating bread - a popular, cheap dish, widely consumed - is sounding an alarm bell about food safety assurance at street food businesses in Ho Chi Minh City.
