HCM CITY— The HCM City Food Safety Management Board plans to strengthen oversight of companies producing food supplements.

Phạm Khánh Phong Lan, head of the board, said those not meeting Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards would be severely penalised.

GMP standards include regulations on raw materials, premises, equipment, and training and personal hygiene of staff.

They are usually applied to companies making drugs, cosmetics, food, and medical equipment to ensure the quality and safety of products.

“The requirement that food supplement products must meet GMP standards is imperative since these products directly affect consumers’ health,” Lan said.

Producers tend to exaggerate the effectiveness of their products while people are often convinced by these claims, she said.

Beside GMP standards, authorities must also monitor online stores selling food supplements to keep out fake products, she said.

The board plans to increase checks to prevent violations.

It will have a team to monitor online selling and advertising to prevent fake and low-quality products.

Lan said the board’s inspection units have caught many companies committing violations in terms of quality and selling outright fakes.

Last Wednesday (August 21) it seized three tonnes of food supplements with unidentified origins produced by Global D2 Co., Ltd in Nhà Bè District.

The products failed to meet GMP standards.

Last month inspectors busted four companies producing fake drugs and food supplements in districts 8, 10, 11, and Bình Chánh.— VNS