Da Nang official urges food safety inspectors to get creative

By Nguyen Dong April 8, 2016 | 09:47 pm PT

Da Nang city. Photo: Chu Quoc Anh. VnExpress Photo Contest.

The issue of food safety in Da Nang has heated up in recent days after two food stores were found to be using toxic substances to dye bamboo shoots. Following the public outcry, authorities in Danang held a conference to look at solutions to wipe out unclean and toxic food.

Frustrated by the lengthy report from the Heath Department, Dang Viet Dung, deputy chairman of the city’s people committee, had to interrupt. “Solutions for the issue are not practical, just lengthy papers and reports all the time,” he said. “Just a bowl of noodles is under quality control of three different agencies – how ironic is that?”

The current safe vegetable growing zones only meet the demand of one third of the residents. Photo: Nguyen Dong

“There are too many agencies in charge but no one takes action,” Dung said.“Sometimes, inspectors have to wear disguises and pretend to be customers or wholesalers in order to detect unsafe food,” the deputy chairman said, urging authorities to get creative to detect violations.

Dung said the city should establish a special force in charge of food quality control. “More projects to encourage farmers to produce safe products need to be implemented. The current area of safe vegetables only meets the demand of one third of residents,” he said.

Dung urged the authorities to draft strong mechanisms to punish violators and submit them to the city for approval. Dung also complimented the quality control of seafood but warned authorities to avoid loose management.