PROCEDURES FOR APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE OF FOOD HYGIENE SAFETY

Certificate of food hygiene and safety, also known as Certificate of eligibility for food hygiene and safety, is one of the prerequisites for a food-related business to operate.

When applying for a Certificate of Food hygiene and safety, there are a few things to keep in mind:

* Firstly, about the subject:

Subjects requiring a Certificate of Food hygiene and safety are all food production and trading establishments, except for the following cases:

• Small initial production facilities;

• Food production and trading establishments without fixed locations;

• Small preliminary processing establishments;

• Pre-packaged food business establishments;

• Producing and trading in tools, packaging materials, food containers;

• Restaurant in the hotel;

• The collective kitchen does not have a registered food business;

• Street food business;

• The establishment has been granted one of the Certificates: Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System, ISO 22000 Food hygiene and safety Management System, Standard International Food Standard (IFS), Global Standard for Food hygiene and safety (BRC), Food hygiene and safety System Certification (FSSC 22000) or its equivalent.

* Secondly, about the conditions:

Conditions for a business or production establishment to be granted a Certificate of food hygiene and safety include:

• Having sufficient conditions to ensure food hygiene and safety suitable for each type of food production and trading;

• Having registered food business lines in the Business Registration Certificate.

* Thirdly, about the procedure:

 The order of issuance of the Certificate of Food hygiene and safety includes the following steps:

Step 1: Submit the application at the competent state agency.

1.1. A dossier of application for a Certificate includes the following documents:

• An application for a certificate of food hygiene and safety;

• A copy of the business registration certificate;

• An explanation of the facilities, equipment and tools to ensure food hygiene and safety conditions;

• Health certificate of the owner of the establishment and the person directly producing and trading food, issued by a district-level medical facility or higher;

• Certificate of training in knowledge of food hygiene and safety and hygiene of the establishment owner and of the person directly producing and trading food.

1.2. State agencies competent to certify food hygiene and safety certification are the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Food production and business establishments falling under the management of any Ministry shall apply for a Certificate at the respective Ministry.

Step 2: Verify the dossiers and the basis.

• Within 05 working days from the date of receipt of complete dossiers. The agency competent to receive the dossier considers the validity of the dossier and notifies the establishment in writing if the dossier does not meet the requirements.

• In case the dossier does not meet the requirements, within 15 working days from the date of receipt of the complete dossier, the agency competent to issue the certificate shall issue a decision to establish an appraisal team and make an appraisal minutes. The appraisal team has from 3 to 5 people. Including at least 02 members working on food hygiene and safety (can invite experts suitable to the field of food production of the establishment to join the establishment appraisal team).

• Contents of baseline appraisal include:

• Compare information and verify the legality of the certificate application dossiers with the original dossiers stored at the establishment as prescribed;
• Verify food hygiene and safety conditions at the establishment with records and regulations.

Step 3: Issue a certificate of food hygiene and safety to the establishment.

• In case the appraisal result is satisfactory, within 05 working days from the date of the appraisal result, the competent authority shall issue a certificate to the establishment.
• In case the appraisal results at the establishment are unsatisfactory and can be remedied, the appraisal team shall clearly write the contents, requirements and remedial time in the Appraisal Minutes with a time limit of no more than 30 days. After receiving the report of the establishment's remedial results, within 05 working days, the appraisal team shall evaluate the remedial results and record the conclusions in the appraisal minutes. In case the remedial results are satisfactory, a certificate will be issued within 05 working days from the date of the appraisal result. If the remedial results are unsatisfactory, the agency competent to issue the certificate shall notify the unsatisfactory appraisal results in writing to the establishment and to the local management agency;
• In case the appraisal results are unsatisfactory, the agency competent to issue the certificate shall notify in writing the supervisory local management agency and request the establishment not to operate until the Certificate is issued.