The figures were released at an August 9 meeting held by the Central Committee on Food Safety and Hygiene presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan.

The committee reports that only 53 cases of food poisoning involving 1,776 victims occurred nationwide in the first six months of the year.

The Law on Food Safety, which has taken effect since July 1, stipulates that the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will promulgate circulars, and standards of technical management by ministries.

However, the government has not introduced any decree to guide the management of food safety according to groups of commodities.

Addressing the meeting, Deputy PM Nhan proposed ministries and sectors actively advise the government on working out such a decree.

He asked the Ministry of Health to better handle the problem of food poisoning and food additives, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to manage animals and pesticides, the Ministry of Industry and Trade to build markets that ensure food safety and food processing, and the city of Hanoi to strengthen managing food along streets and slaughter-houses.