Food safety warning in front of school gates

Convenience is associated with food safety hazards

Sidewalk stalls in front of school gates have long been an indispensable part of school life. However, behind that convenience are food safety hazards that parents, students and schools need to be aware of.

Data from the Food Safety Department, Ministry of Health shows that up to 70-80% of street food, including school snacks, are identified as being contaminated with bacteria such as E.coli - a type of bacteria that causes diarrhea, intestinal diseases and cholera. In particular, chemicals, pesticides, growth promoters, etc. remaining in foods will slowly seep into the body, then accumulate and cause cancer.

Dirty "mobile shop" on Hang Bai street, in front of Trung Vuong Secondary School.

According to the Economic & Urban reporter, in front of many schools in Hanoi, sidewalk stalls, mobile food carts, and street vendors appear everywhere, and their activities are difficult to control. The stalls selling all kinds of snacks such as sausages, fried sour sausages, cheese sticks, skewers, mixed rice paper, candies, etc. always attract a large number of students because of their attractive flavors, eye-catching colors, and affordable prices.

In the role of students buying favorite dishes of schoolboys and girls, we were "overwhelmed" by the preparation and price of these snacks near a school gate in Hanoi . Through observation, the price of "dirty skewers" is sold at a fluctuating price of only 2,000 - 8,000 VND/skewer; many types of soft drinks of all colors and flavors are only 5,000 - 15,000 VND/cup;...

Worryingly, these food items are often processed in a rudimentary way with many ingredients of unknown origin, no brand labels, etc. The cooking oil is often reused many times and turns black, posing the risk of producing toxic substances.

The processing procedures at these establishments are also noteworthy as processing tools are often used to mix raw and cooked foods without thorough cleaning. Vendors directly handle food with their bare hands; careless storage methods without coverings allow dirt and insects to easily penetrate;…

Even at a "dirty skewer" shop at the intersection of Lo Duc and Pham Dinh Ho streets (Hai Ba Trung district), near Le Ngoc Han Primary School, reporters saw the image of a rag used by the seller to clean the spring roll table - the place that comes into direct contact with food - being used again to wipe hands and cooking tools such as knives, scissors or to absorb excess oil in the tray containing cooked food.

Due to not being able to find a suitable location, many street vendors sell near unsanitary areas such as next to trash cans and sewers. Not only that, there is also a phenomenon where skewers are picked up by the owners after being thrown on the ground by customers to reuse. Although it is not yet possible to verify whether these skewers are cleaned and treated according to food safety and hygiene standards, the lack of awareness of the vendors is enough to show that for the sake of profit, they "ignore" food safety regulations and business ethics...

The whole community joins hands

In recent times, food safety assurance in schools has always been of interest and importance to Hanoi City. Since August 2024, the City has begun implementing a thematic plan "Strengthening food safety control in and around school gates in Hanoi" for educational institutions across the city.

Mobile vehicles at an elementary school gate in Hanoi after school hours.

Head of the Hanoi Food Safety and Hygiene Department Dang Thanh Phong said that from August 2024 to the end of August 2025, the whole city will focus on ensuring food safety inside and outside schools. Hanoi will review educational facilities, collective kitchens, and school canteens under its management.

At the same time, the authorities will investigate, review, and regularly update the food service establishments, street food, and grocery stores that sell pre-packaged food, processed food for immediate consumption according to each industry and food item around school gates. However, the control from the authorities will not be effective without the cooperation from families and schools.

To minimize risks and protect children from food poisoning at school gates, Dr. Nguyen Trong An - former Deputy Director of the Department of Child Protection and Care, Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, said that the role of family education is the most important factor.

Doctor Nguyen Trong An noted that parents should equip their children with basic knowledge on how to distinguish between dirty and clean food, identify reputable addresses and stay away from places that sell food that does not ensure food safety.
At the same time, schools also need to take stronger action. Not only stopping at advising students and parents not to use street food of unknown origin, schools should also strengthen supervision and proactively coordinate with authorities to strictly handle businesses that violate food safety standards.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/canh-bao-an-toan-thuc-pham-truoc-cong-truong-hoc.html