Some Vietnamese farm and food products warned for violating food safety and phytosanitary regulations in EU exports

The Office of the Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (SPS Vietnam) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has reported that several Vietnamese agricultural and food products have been flagged by the European Union (EU) for violations of food safety and phytosanitary regulations.

SPS Vietnam has sent an official notice to the Agency of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade and several industry associations, including the Vietnam Beer - Alcohol - Beverage Association, the Vietnam Coffee - Cocoa Association, the Traditional Fish Sauce Association, and the Vietnam Cashew Association, regarding EU warnings and product recalls affecting Vietnamese exports.

The EU has identified four main reasons for these violations: businesses failing to register products containing “novel food” ingredients in the EU market, inaccurate ingredient declarations, especially those involving allergens, the use of unauthorized or excessive food additives, and the failure to declare or conduct veterinary inspections at border checkpoints for “composite products” containing animal-derived ingredients.

Nguyen Xuan Nam, Deputy Director of SPS Vietnam, described the situation as regrettable. “Most Vietnamese agricultural and food products meet food safety and phytosanitary standards. However, in fast-growing industries or certain growing areas, some businesses have yet to standardize their production processes or fully comply with market regulations, leading to violations. This is unfortunate, as it affects not only businesses and processing facilities but also entire industries and the reputation of Vietnamese agricultural exports,” he said.

In 2024, Vietnam received 114 EU warnings, twice the number recorded in 2023. To prevent further issues, SPS Vietnam has urged businesses and industry stakeholders to thoroughly review market regulations before exporting to minimize risks./.