Check all school meal companies
Recently, the case of Sago Food Company - a unit providing meals and food for many schools in Ho Chi Minh City - being reported by the press for using expired meat in processing has caused concern for parents and people. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety has established an inspection team to verify the case.
At the time of inspection, this company was in the process of cleaning up, not yet organizing production. However, the team discovered a quantity of expired and poor quality pork and the enterprise admitted violations. Currently, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety is completing the minutes to handle violations according to regulations.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety, food safety in schools is a very concerned area. Although the sector has increased the frequency of inspections, guidance and regular training, there are still loopholes.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety will have a specialized inspection of all companies providing meals for schools, expected to be implemented after the Lunar New Year because at present, many businesses and schools have temporarily suspended operations.
Prevention of food poisoning in schools
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety has just issued a document requesting the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training to strengthen food safety and prevent food poisoning in schools.
In which, building and implementing a plan to ensure food safety at each unit; focusing on propaganda, supervision, inspection and assigning responsibility to the head of the school to be responsible for ensuring food safety at the unit.
Strengthen information and propaganda about the risk of food poisoning and food poisoning prevention for collective kitchens in schools, raw material suppliers, and establishments providing ready-to-eat meals for schools.
Direct educational and training institutions to strictly comply with food safety regulations; not to let food poisoning occur at collective kitchens, school canteens, especially in kindergartens and elementary schools; review units supplying food processing materials, establishments processing ready-to-eat meals providing food services.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety, every year, the unit coordinates with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training to implement a plan to inspect the compliance with food safety laws in schools.
In 2025, the unit inspected 573 collective kitchens, canteens, and food services in schools and 39 establishments providing ready-to-eat meals, and no violations were detected.
Inspection teams of the People's Committees of communes, wards, and special zones inspected 2,396 collective kitchens, detecting 45 violations. The People's Committees of communes, wards, and special zones have administratively sanctioned 8 cases with a fine of 62,000,000 VND, and reminded to remedy shortcomings for the remaining cases.
Currently, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety is implementing a peak period to ensure food safety during the Binh Ngo Tet 2026. The unit has established 31 inspection teams, conducting inspections of 1,320 establishments. At the same time, organizing surprise inspections when there are reports from the press.
