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- Last Updated 20/10/2026
On October 14, 2026, in Hanoi, the Vietnam Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (VFSA) under the National Institute for Food Control (NIFC) served as the focal point in organizing “Workshop on Advancing Food Safety Risk Assessment and Enhancing Total Diet Study” The workshop brought together representatives from the Vietnam Food Administration (VFA), the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA), AOAC International (United States), the National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation (NIFDS), South Korea, as well as relevant experts and delegates.
The workshop provided a forum for technical exchange, sharing of international experience, and discussion of cooperation priorities to strengthen food safety risk assessment capacity, food safety monitoring, and scientific research in support of food safety management in Vietnam.
Sharing International Experience in Food Safety Risk Assessment and Monitoring
At the workshop, delegates exchanged information on food safety management systems, risk assessment, monitoring and data sharing, standards development, as well as international cooperation within the framework of the Codex Alimentarius.
Presentations from CFSA provided valuable insights into China’s organizational structure and technical activities. According to the presentations, CFSA serves as a national technical agency for food safety risk assessment, with key functions including risk monitoring, risk assessment, risk communication, and support for the development of food safety standards.
Delegates attending the workshop
Notably, China’s monitoring system connects food contamination data with information from foodborne disease surveillance, supporting hazard identification, the detection of risk signals, and the provision of a scientific basis for risk assessment. Monitoring results are also used to support the development, revision, and evaluation of food safety standards.
MSc. Ta Thi Yen, Science - Training and International Cooperation Department, NIFC, introduced the food safety system in Vietnam
Dr. Gao Bingyang, CFSA, introduced the food safety system in China
Dr. Nguyen Anh Tu, VFA, shared poison surveillance and information communication activities in Vietnam
Highlighting its guiding philosophy, CFSA introduced the message “Science for Safer Food”, emphasizing the translation of scientific evidence and risk assessment results into standards, risk communication, and actions to protect public health. In addition, CFSA’s experience in technical coordination and participation in Codex activities provided opportunities for Vietnam to further strengthen data exchange, methodological sharing, and capacity building among relevant agencies and international partners.
Dr. Hao Dinh, CFSA, shared about the Chinese Codex and international cooperation
MSc. Tran Thanh Son, VFA, shared about the activities of Codex Vietnam, regional and
international cooperation
Strengthening Total Diet Study Research - An Area for Further Development
A key topic of the workshop was the development of Total Diet Study (TDS) research. TDS is an approach designed to provide data on population exposure to contaminants through the actual diet, thereby contributing scientific evidence to risk assessment and the identification of food safety management priorities. For Vietnam, developing TDS research is particularly relevant in the context of strengthening dietary exposure data, supporting the identification of hazards requiring priority control, and improving the use of research findings in policy development.
Dr. Lei Zhang, CFSA, shared about the TDS study conducted in China
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Cao Son and Prof. Dr. Fan Yongxiang chaired the workshop
Through exchanges with international partners, NIFC aims to progressively strengthen its technical capacity, learn from international experience in conducting TDS research, and explore cooperation approaches suitable for Vietnam’s practical conditions. During the discussion session, Mr. Fan Yongxiang, representing CFSA, and Mr. Tran Cao Son, representing NIFC, agreed that TDS should be identified as one of the top priorities within the cooperation framework between the two institutions, with related activities to be prioritized for early implementation in the near future. This is expected to become a practical area of cooperation, contributing to the gradual development of TDS research capacity and dietary exposure databases in Vietnam.
Delegates attending the workshop took souvenir photos
The participation of partners from China, South Korea, and the United States broadened opportunities for international experience sharing, strengthened professional connections, and promoted cooperation in food safety. The workshop represents a further step in NIFC’s efforts to strengthen research and risk assessment capacity, enhance the linkage between monitoring data, analytical results, and scientific evidence, and support the transition toward a risk-based approach to food safety management. Through continued technical exchange and international cooperation, NIFC looks forward to further strengthening its scientific capacity, expanding its network of partners, and making practical contributions to the protection of public health.
Some pictures of the workshop:
