Human resources and finance

Food testing is a form of food quality control aimed at ensuring the reputation of producers as well as the rights of consumers. Alongside its advantages, testing activities are also considered to face numerous difficulties and challenges due to increasingly stringent food safety and hygiene standards; and the diverse and complex nature of bacteria and food additives.

Food testing plays a crucial role in ensuring food safety and protecting consumer health. For food testing to be valid and accurate, the sampling process must adhere to strict regulations.

In recent years, Vietnam's food testing system has received significant investment, leading to faster and more efficient testing. However, testing units also face considerable difficulties and challenges. PNVN newspaper interviewed Dr. Diep Ngoc Suong, a testing expert (Ho Chi Minh City Chemistry Association), about this issue.

+ How would you assess the current state of testing, especially food testing?

Dr. Diep Ngoc Suong: Currently, testing units and testing activities have achieved international standards; they are fully capable of meeting Vietnamese and international safety standards for food quality.

Many large testing equipment and machinery companies from various countries have entered the Vietnamese market, ready to meet customer needs, so testing units can easily access modern equipment and machinery.

Increasingly stringent food safety and hygiene standards contribute to ensuring consumer health.

Not only state-owned laboratories with long-standing reputations, but also private companies and laboratories have been established and meet international standards, providing safe and reliable data, thus improving testing activities.

Besides the advantages, what difficulties and challenges does the testing activity face, Madam?

In general, food testing always presents challenges that must be overcome. Food safety and hygiene standards are becoming increasingly stringent, demanding higher food quality. This requires testing to adhere to strict standards. This includes ensuring that procedures, equipment, and personnel meet international standards. Units must invest in equipment to meet requirements and minimize risks during testing.

For testing units, the biggest challenges are personnel and financial investment in equipment and machinery. Once the equipment is acquired, further investment is needed in operation, and chemicals and solvents must also meet standards, all of which are quite expensive.

Currently, in addition to investing in the development of modern testing techniques, inspection units also need to focus on strengthening risk assessment activities to provide scientific evidence to support food safety management; what is your assessment of this?

Not only in Vietnam, but also in developed countries around the world , research, forecasting, and risk assessment of food safety are significant challenges. This is especially true for the food industry, which has a vast market. As technology and equipment become increasingly advanced, efforts are being made to meet these demands.

Thank you for sharing!

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/nhan-su-va-tai-chinh-hai-thach-thuc-doi-voi-cac-don-vi-kiem-nghiem-thuc-pham-20241217135357624.htm