Source: The National Institute for Food Control
On October 24-25, 2024, the International Food Control Conference 2024 (FCC2024) was successfully organized by the National Institute for Food Control – Ministry of Health with the main theme “Risk Assessment to Support Risk-based Food Safety Control”. The conference has an important contribution towards development targets of Vietnam’s food testing system, focusing on food safety risk assessment, meeting the requirements of international integration.
The conference was honored to welcome Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen; Leaders of departments, administrations, institutes under the Ministry of Health; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of National Defense and scientists from institutes, universities; food testing laboratories, organizations and individuals specialized in food safety. In particular, the conference brought the participation of international experts from the US, Russia, China, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Denmark, Korea, Singapore, Thailand and international organizations in Vietnam such as WHO, FAO, UNIDO, ILRI.
Delivering the opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen emphasized, “Vietnam is in the period of promoting the industrialization and modernization, the role of science and technology in general and food testing science in particular are put priority by all the levels/sectors. The FCC 2024 is an opportunity for domestic scientists, managers, and researchers to access the effective and popular food management method in the world today, which is risk-based management. The conference is also an event for scientists, managers, food manufacturers and enterprises to meet, exchange, connect to build a roadmap for scientific research cooperation on advanced food safety testing techniques, helps sharing information on new achievements in testing science as a basis for the development orientation of the food testing system in Vietnam”.
Following the Deputy Minister’s opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Hong Hao – Director General of the National Institute for Food Control expressed her deep gratitude to Deputy Minister Do Xuan Tuyen, authorities, scientists, domestic and foreign experts, and all delegates. She also shared, “In recent years, Vietnam’s food testing system has been greatly invested from many sources, which made many changes. However, the recent food incidents shows that risks are present in daily consumed food products. Therefore, in addition to investing in facilities for laboratories, risk assessment activities need promoting in order to provide scientific evidence to support food safety management”.
Especially, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Hong Hao was also pleased to announce the establishment of the Vietnam Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (VFSA) under the National Institute for Food Control according to Decision No. 1936/QD-BYT of the Ministry of Health dated July 8, 2024. She also said, “This is the first risk assessment center under the Ministry of Health of Vietnam to perform food safety risk assessment tasks, helping provide scientific evidence to management agencies, thereby proposing effective risk management and communication solutions, improving the national food safety system to help reduce food poisoning, food-borne diseases, promoting the development of domestic food trade and export”.
During the two days of the conference, 41 reports have been presented with abundant content from leading scientists in the world and Vietnam in the field of food testing. First, an overview of the situation on Food Safety Risk Assessment in Vietnam and the world was introduced in the Plenary Session by the leading scientists. Next, in-depth studies were presented in 06 Scientific sessions (Risk assessment for food safety, Microorganisms in food and Foodborne disease, Nutrition and food additives, Dietary supplements, Toxins and contaminants in food, Food technology and Quality assurance).
Among the FCC2024’s spotlights is 42 young scientists’ reports in the Poster session from Vietnam and abroad. The participation of a large number of young scientists has brought the interest of the young generation in food safety issues as well as the development potential and bright future of the food testing field in Vietnam and the world. The certificates were awarded to the excellent Posters that won first, second, third and consolation prizes.
The conference was successfully organized with important significance in promoting in-depth scientific research, developing advanced techniques by applying modern equipment to help quickly and accurately detect hazards in food, risk assessment, and risk-based food safety management solutions, meeting the requirements of international integration in the region and the world.
Some pictures at the Conference:
