Ho Chi Minh City processes over 858 tons of meat daily amid food safety concerns

Ho Chi Minh City processes more than 858 tons of meat daily, comprising over 657 tons of livestock and 201 tons of poultry, to meet the demands of its population of over 14 million. However, the city's food safety remains under threat from animal diseases and the use of banned substances in farming. These challenges were discussed at a recent forum organized by the Magazine of Brands and Public Opinion in coordination with the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine.

Nguyen Huu Thiet, deputy head of the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine, highlighted that the city's domestic supply meets only about 50% of its food needs, with the remainder imported from other provinces. He noted that despite having 81 slaughter facilities, the risks associated with animal-borne diseases and prohibited chemicals persist. "The issue of food safety from animal sources, especially animal diseases and banned substances in farming, remains a threat to food safety and public health," Thiet stated.

To combat these risks, the city has established an interdisciplinary inspection team that regularly checks entry points for unregistered or diseased animals and products. Since March, this team has identified 61 violations, issuing fines totaling over 439 million Vietnamese dong and destroying nearly 50,000 kg of products failing veterinary standards. Notably, three batches of 280 pigs were found to contain banned substances, with one batch also testing positive for African Swine Fever, leading to their destruction.

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Vấn đề an toàn thực phẩm có nguồn gốc động vật, nhất là dịch bệnh động vật, chất cấm trong chăn nuôi vẫn còn là mối nguy ảnh hưởng đến an toàn thực phẩm và sức khỏe của người dân