Vietnam shifts food safety strategy towards proactive risk prevention

After 15 years of implementation, the national food safety legal framework is undergoing its most significant reform to close regulatory gaps and adapt to modern business models.

Mindset shift: From penalizing to preventing The core of the new draft law is a transition from “reacting to violations” to “risk-based prevention.” Regulators will categorize food products based on risk levels (high, medium, low) to apply corresponding control measures. For high-risk items, businesses must implement advanced management systems starting from the production phase.

Tighter accountability in the digital space For the first time, the role of e-commerce platforms is explicitly defined. Owners of digital marketplaces will be required to:

  • Establish censorship mechanisms and disclose the legal documentation of sellers.

  • Share liability if safety incidents occur due to lax oversight.

  • Cooperate in the immediate removal of violating products upon official request.

A three-tier inspection system Inspection activities for imported and pre-packaged foods will be optimized into three levels: Tightened, Normal, and Reduced. The frequency of inspections will be based on the enterprise’s compliance history and the nature of the goods, reducing the administrative burden on reputable businesses while maintaining food security.

Digitalization and management transparency The draft aims to build an integrated national data ecosystem. All processes—from circulation registration and traceability to rapid alert systems for incidents—will be conducted online. This not only ensures management across the entire food value chain but also clearly identifies the primary agency responsible when a crisis occurs.

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/sua-doi-luat-an-toan-thuc-pham-chuyen-tu-duy-quan-ly-sang-ngan-chan-nguy-co-ngay-tu-dau-102260309202123833.htm

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