Strengthening inspection to ensure food safety and hygiene of moon cake

The Mid-Autumn Festival in 2022 is few days to come, this is the time when the moon cake market becomes busy. In order to control the quality and food safety of moon cake, relevant agencies have been strengthening the inspection of facilities which produce and sell it.

Mr. Le Trung Nghia, Head of the Market Management Team No. 1 (in charge of Lang Son city) said: “In order to ensure food safety during the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2022, from the end of August 2022, the team has inspected food businesses in general, especially those selling moon cake. Through the inspection of 30 confectionery and moon cake businesses, the team punished 9 businesses due to selling cakes with unknown origin. At the same time, it inspected 3 moon cake production facilities, 2 of which were punished because of violations on ensuring hygienic condition during the production process.”

The market management force checks the labels of moon cakes being sold in Lang Son city

Not only the Market Management Team No. 1, implementing the peak plan of market and food safety inspection during the Mid-Autumn Festival 2022 of the Provincial Department of Market Management, from August 26, 2022 to present, the Market Management Teams increased inspection of moon cake businesses. Through the inspection of 115 businesses, the market management force found out 23 violations which were mainly related to the sale of moon cakes labeled and packed without necessary information according to regulation, the quantity stated on the label is not the actual quantity…

In addition to the market management force, from August 29 to now, implementing Plan No. 69 on August 12, 2022 of the Provincial Inter-disciplinary Steering Committee on Food Safety and Hygiene to ensure food safety during the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2022, inter-disciplinary inspection delegation on ensuring food safety for the Mid-Autumn Festival in 2022 of the province, districts and city also inspected facilities which produce and sell moon cake.

Mr. Nguyen Nam Dung, Deputy Director of the Provincial Food Safety and Hygiene Sub-Department said: “There are 31 moon cake production facilities in the province, with an average capacity of about 1,500 cakes/facility/season. equivalent to about 7 tons of cakes/facility/season. In order to remind production facilities to follow the regulations on food safety, in the past few days, inspection teams of functional forces have actively inspected from early stage at production process with the aim of ensuring cakes with food safety to reach the market, thereby ensuring the health of consumers.

According to statistics from the Provincial Department of Food Safety and Hygiene, from August 29 to September 5, provincial inspection teams inspected 31 moon cake production facilities in the province, discovering 5 ones which has yet ensured hygienic conditions during the production process such as the fact that the person who directly bakes the cake does not comply with the regulations on cooking costume nor wear gloves, etc. Besides administrative sanctions, functional forces promote propaganda and guide facilities to strictly implement food hygiene and safety in the production process.”

The provincial inter-disciplinary inspection team on food safety and hygiene inspects the production process of Nhan moon cake facilites, Hoang Van Thu ward, Lang Son city

It is known that also during the inspection from August 29 to September 5, the inter-disciplinary inspection team of districts and city sanctioned 21 businesses that sold moon cakes of unknown origin.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Market Management, said: “Production and sale of moon cakes happen in a short time and are seasonal, therefore, the leaders of the Provincial Department of Market Management have directed the teams to increase the frequency of inspection of production and sale facilities and businesses importing moon cakes. In particular, it is necessary to both inspect and monitor facilities in the process of cake production, to monitor market developments, to control and prevent moon cakes with unknown origin from entering the market.

At this time, sectors and forces are stepping up activities to control the quality of moon cakes to prevent food poisoning, protecting the interests and health of consumers. However, in addition to the involvement of the competent forces, consumers need to be careful in choosing and avoiding buying cakes of unknown origin, unbranded, without food hygiene and safety…