Expired candy found for sale during Mid-Autumn Festival in mountainous areas

An interdisciplinary delegation of Tuong Duong district inspected food safety of goods before the Mid-Autumn Festival at a kiosk in Tam Thai commune (Tuong Duong). Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mr. Hoang Dinh Hoi - Deputy Head of the Economic Infrastructure Department of Tuong Duong district, Head of the district's interdisciplinary food safety inspection team, said: To ensure food safety before, during and after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the district's interdisciplinary team has inspected food products sold at stores and kiosks throughout the district from September 13 until the Mid-Autumn Festival.

During the inspection, the delegation discovered and confiscated a number of confectionery items, powdered milk of unknown origin, expired, including 24 packages of various confectionery, cow's milk, Dielac powdered milk, canned fish... The delegation also imposed an administrative fine of 7.5 million VND, and collected 5.2 million VND in taxes.

To ensure food safety during the Mid-Autumn Festival, the most important issue for the interdisciplinary inspection team is checking the origin of goods and the expiry date printed on the packaging. Photo: Xuan Hoang

A kiosk owner in Hoa Bac block, Hoa Binh town (Tuong Duong) said that moon cakes have been sold here since September 10, however the quantity consumed each day is very low.

In general, grocery stores and kiosks in mountainous districts in Nghe An sell mainly two mooncakes from Huu Nghi and Kinh Do, priced from 20,000 - 50,000 VND/cake.

Checking goods in the Tam Thai market area, the interdisciplinary team of Tuong Duong district discovered some expired confectionery and milk products. Photo: Quang An

According to many customers in mountainous districts, authorities need to strengthen food safety inspections before and during the Mid-Autumn Festival, especially at points of sale in remote communes, because the closer the Mid-Autumn Festival gets, the more processed cakes are sold, making it difficult for people to distinguish between cakes and candies that do not meet food safety standards.

Moon cakes have been sold in many shops and kiosks in Hoa Binh town (Tuong Duong). Photo: Quang An

Other mountainous localities: Con Cuong, Que Phong... according to our research, from September 17, the interdisciplinary inspection team of these districts began to carry out food safety inspections before, during and after the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Mr. Pham Xuan Manh - Deputy Head of Economic Infrastructure Department, Head of the interdisciplinary delegation of Con Cuong district said: Starting from September 17, the district's interdisciplinary delegation will deploy food safety work in all communes and towns in the district.

Accordingly, the delegation will inspect confectionery products for expiry dates, origins... focusing on moon cakes, children's toys and restaurants serving food./.