Hanoi delicacy producer fined $1,575 for food safety violations
Wednesday, January 08, 2025, 16:58 GMT+7
The administration in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi has fined Nguyen Ninh, a facility that produces banh com, sweet cakes made of green sticky rice and green beans, after an inspection team uncovered the facility’s food safety violations, including the presence of insects and animal feces in the production area.
Nguyen Ninh, located at 11 Hang Than Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, was subject to the fine for committing four violations.
In particular, the facility failed to make banh com on the one-way principle, which means the sequence of activities within the kitchen did not follow a specific direction.
The production area and food, material, additive, and equipment storage facilities were infested with insects and animals.
The facility’s storage facilities had insufficient shelves, nameplates, and boards of regulations and procedures.
Its workers who directly processed food did not wear protective gear as required.
On January 2, the inspection team checked the production process at Nguyen Ninh, as part of its efforts to ensure food safety during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet, which begins late this month.
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| A corner of the production area at the Nguyen Ninh facility, which produces ‘banh com,’ in Hanoi. Photo: Thu Trang |
At the time of the inspection, the owner of Nguyen Ninh and five workers were present.
The kitchen in the owner’s house was being used as the area for producing banh com, a local delicacy. The floor of the kitchen was peeling and moldy, with drains opened and clogged with waste.
Inspectors also found that clothing items were being air-dried within the production area.
Moreover, tools and equipment used for cake making were dirty, indicating a lack of regular cleaning.
A restroom was even located in the processing area and insects and animal feces were found in the production area.
As the facility was narrow, bags of dried green sticky rice were placed on the entrance to the kitchen near a mossy wall.
The facility also failed to present health certificates and food safety training certificates for the owner and the five workers.
The owner was unable to show proof of origin for its materials, food additives, and packaging.
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