Food safety and hygiene newsletter June 2026

On 6 April 2026, the Government of Viet Nam promulgated Decree No. 127/2026/ND-CP stipulating quality management and development policies for Halal products and services, which takes effect from 1 June 2026.

The Decree provides comprehensive regulations on:

• Quality requirements for Halal products and services
• Conformity assessment activities for Halal products and services
• Inspection and administrative penalties
• Policies supporting and promoting the development of the Halal sector

The Decree applies to organizations and individuals involved in the production, business, import and export of Halal products and services, Halal testing and certification bodies, and relevant state management authorities.

1. General Requirements for Halal Products and Services

1. Principles of Halal Quality Management

• Full compliance with Vietnamese law and relevant international treaties and agreements.
• Ensuring consistency, transparency, and non-discrimination in Halal management and assessment.
• Harmonization with international standards and practices (OIC/SMIIC, Codex, export market requirements).
• Protection of consumer rights (especially Muslim consumers) and law-compliant enterprises; strict handling of Halal fraud.
• Encouraging investment, innovation, application of science and technology, and sustainable development of the Halal sector.
• Risk-based management focusing control on high-risk stages.
• Ensuring integrity and traceability throughout the entire supply chain.

2. Standards for Halal Products and Services

• National Halal standards are developed in accordance with law with participation of Muslim experts.
• Exported products apply standards as required or agreed upon by the importing market.
• Products consumed domestically apply national, international, regional, or standards of Muslim countries.
• Enterprises are encouraged to develop in-house standards where no applicable standard exists.
• All applicable standards must not contradict Vietnamese law.

3. Declaration of Applicable Standards

• Enterprises must declare applicable Halal standards before placing products or services on the market.
• When applying international or foreign standards, compliance with Vietnamese legal requirements is mandatory.
• Enterprises must retain records, provide documents upon inspection, and bear responsibility for the accuracy and truthfulness of declared standards.

4. Requirements for Halal Products and Services

• Products must comply with declared standards and relevant laws.
• Raw materials and additives must be Halal, contain no Haram or Najis components; animals must be slaughtered according to Halal procedures.
• Production processes must ensure hygiene and prevent cross-contamination.
• Packaging, storage, transportation, and display must preserve Halal integrity.
• Compliance with labeling, Halal certification marks (if applicable), and metrology regulations.
• Exported products must comply with importing country regulations.

5. Labeling and Traceability of Halal Products

• Labels must clearly display “HALAL” or “SẢN PHẨM HALAL” (in uppercase Latin letters), clearly visible and non-erasable.
• Display of “HALAL” or “SẢN PHẨM HALAL”  is not mandatory if a Halal certification mark is used or for raw materials not sold directly to consumers (in which case Halal status must be specified in technical documentation).
• Use of the Halal certification mark must comply with the certification body’s rules.
• Traceability is mandatory for high-risk Halal products, implemented according to the roadmap of competent authorities.

2. Conformity Assessment Activities for Halal Products and Services

1. Halal Product Testing

• Testing may only be conducted by licensed testing organizations with registered Halal testing scopes.
• Testing principles: objectivity, independence, accuracy, and integrity.
• Strict controls must be applied to prevent non-Halal cross-contamination and ensure methods are consistent with declared standards.

2.  Halal Certification

• Halal certification is generally voluntary, based on enterprise needs.
• It becomes mandatory where required by sector-specific regulations.
• Certification must be conducted by licensed domestic organizations or foreign certification bodies recognized by Viet Nam.

3. Conditions for Halal Certification Bodies

• Legally established organizations with management systems meeting TCVN 13888 or equivalent international Halal standards.
• At least 02 Muslim auditors meeting the following requirements:

• • University degree or higher
  • Professional training in certification auditing
  • Certification in Halal knowledge
  • Minimum 20 auditor-days of certification experience

4. Dossiers and Procedures for Certification Registration

• Detailed requirements for applications for new issuance, re-issuance, amendment, and supplementation of Halal certification registration.
• Dossiers submitted to the Ministry of Science and Technology, directly, by post, or online.
• Processed via the National Public Service Portal, consistent with conformity assessment regulations.

5. Revocation of Halal Certification Registration

• Certification registration may be revoked for serious violations such as fraudulent dossiers, false certification, failure to meet conditions, repeated violations, etc.
• The Ministry of Science and Technology decides revocation and updates the National Halal Database.
• Re-issuance is considered only after at least 6 months and full corrective actions.

6. Halal Certification Mark

• Confirms that products or services are Halal-certified.
• Must clearly display “HALAL” and the name or logo of the certification body.
• Enterprises must cease use immediately when certification expires or is revoked.

7. Recognition of Foreign Halal Certification

• Viet Nam recognizes foreign Halal certification when:

• • Covered by Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs)
  • Accredited under ISO/IEC 17065 by recognized international accreditation bodies
  • Unilaterally recognized by the Ministry of Science and Technology based on regulatory or market needs

• Importers must provide valid evidence upon request by authorities.

3. Inspection and Administrative Sanctions

1. Inspection Scope

• Producers and traders: compliance with Halal conditions across the entire chain, standard declaration, labeling, certification mark usage, quality and traceability records, and related legal compliance.
• Certification bodies: maintenance of registration conditions, certification scope compliance, audit procedures, records, certification mark management, and reporting obligations.

2. Inspection Procedures

• Conducted in accordance with Decree No. 217/2025/ND-CP on specialized inspections and relevant laws on product and goods quality.

3. Administrative Sanctions

• Violations related to Halal production, trade, testing, and certification are penalized based on severity.
• Sanctions follow the Law on Handling of Administrative Violations and relevant decrees in fields such as quality, food safety, trade, counterfeit goods, advertising, and related areas.

4. Policies Supporting and Promoting Halal Products and Services

1. International Cooperation Policies

• Promotion of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for Halal certification with key export markets.
• The Ministry of Science and Technology represents Viet Nam in international Halal forums and supports domestic certification bodies’ international recognition.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides information on Halal markets, demand, and import regulations.

2. Trade Promotion and Market Development

• Financial support for Halal enterprises to participate in international Halal fairs and trade promotion activities.
• The Ministry of Industry and Trade promotes Halal products in Muslim markets and includes outstanding Halal products in the Vietnam National Brand Program.
• The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism promotes Halal tourism, positioning Viet Nam as a Muslim-friendly destination.

3. Resource Support Policies

• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) receive support under the National Program for Productivity and Quality Improvement, prioritizing export-oriented Halal products.
• One-time state support for Halal testing and certification costs for key Halal export enterprises.
• Development and operation of the National Halal Database to support access to standards, regulations, certification bodies, and markets.
• Support for human resource development for Halal enterprises under SME support policies.

5. Transitional Provisions

• Halal products produced, imported, or circulated before the effective date of the Decree may continue to be marketed until expiry; products without expiry dates may be sold out.
• Halal certification bodies licensed prior to the Decree must re-register under the new regulations and complete this process within 12 months from the effective date.
• Where referenced legal documents or standards are amended or replaced, the updated versions shall apply.
• Certification dossiers submitted to provincial authorities before the Decree’s effective date but not yet resolved shall be transferred to the Ministry of Science and Technology for further processing.

For detailed information, please see the attached regulations file.

Draft on Guidelines on Claims for Foods

In the context of the rapidly developing food market, the use of information and promotional messages by businesses on labels and media has become increasingly diverse. However, this also increases the risk of misleading, exaggerated, or confusing information for consumers.

Against this background, the draft National Standard (TCVN) “Guidelines on Claims for Foods” has been developed to establish a clear and unified regulatory framework for food-related claims. This standard is based on Codex CAC/GL 1 – Guidelines on Claims, while also inheriting and supplementing existing Vietnamese regulations such as Decree 37/2026/ND-CP and Circular 29/2023/TT-BYT.

1. Scope and general principles

• The draft applies to all food-related claims in cases where no specific standards exist. A key principle emphasized is:
  • Foods must not be described or presented in a way that is misleading, false, or deceptive to consumers.
  • Businesses must be able to substantiate the claims they make.

• Accordingly, legal responsibility is not limited to labeling but extends to all communications related to the product.

2. Types of prohibited claims

• The draft clearly specifies certain categories of prohibited claims to help limit the exaggeration of - product value:
  • Claims that a food is a complete source of all essential nutrients.
  • Claims implying that a specific food alone can ensure a balanced diet.
  • Claims that cannot be substantiated.
  • Claims relating to the prevention, treatment, or cure of disease (except where specifically regulated).
  • Claims that may arouse fear or exploit consumer concerns.

• These provisions are particularly important in the context where many products are being advertised as “functional foods that can cure diseases,” leading to misunderstanding about their nature.

3. Claims that may be misleading

• In addition to prohibited content, the draft also identifies types of claims that may lead to misunderstanding, including:
  • Meaningless claims, including incomplete comparisons and exaggerated statements.
  • Use of terms such as: “wholesome”, “healthful”, “sound”.

4. Conditional claims

The draft allows the following claims subject to specific conditions:

         4.1. Nutrient enrichment claims

• Claims that a product is enriched with vitamins, minerals, or amino acids are only accepted when:
  • The enrichment is consistent with nutritional needs in accordance with TCVN 12055 (CAC/GL 9)
  • Compliance with applicable standards and regulations

4.2. Reduction or omission claims

• An indication that a food has special nutritional qualities due to the reduction or omission of a nutrient must: Be based on sound nutritional considerations; Comply with applicable regulatory requirements.
• Examples: “sugar-free”, “low sodium”.

         4.3. Descriptive terms

• Terms such as “natural”, “pure”, “fresh”, “home-made”, “organically grown”, and “biologically grown” shall:
• Be used in accordance with national practices in the country where the food is sold;
• Be consistent with the prohibitions on misleading claims.

        4.4. Religious or ritual claims

• Must meet current standards or regulations.
• For example, Halal according to TCVN 12944,...

       4.5. Claims on common characteristics

• Claims that a food has special characteristics, when all similar foods possess the same characteristics, are permitted only if:
• This fact is clearly indicated in the claim to avoid misleading consumers.

        4.6. “Free-from” or “non-addition” claims

• Claims highlighting the absence or non-addition of a particular substance may be used provided that they are not misleading and that the substance:
  • Is not subject to specific requirements in any applicable TCVN or Codex standard or guideline;
  • Is one that consumers would normally expect to find in the food;
  • Has not been replaced by another substance providing equivalent functional characteristics, unless the nature of such substitution is clearly declared with equal prominence;
  • Is a substance whose presence or addition is permitted in the food.

• Information disclosures emphasizing that food does not contain or is not fortified with one or more nutrients should be considered nutritional information disclosures and therefore must declare the nutrients as required by TCVN 7088:2025 and current regulations.

The deadline for submitting comments is 13 July 2026.

The draft TCVN Guidelines on Claims for Foods is available here.

For further details, please refer to: https://mst.gov.vn/van-ban-phap-luat/du-thao/2454.htm

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Korean

Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Issuing an Amendment to the "Food Labeling Standards" (Notice No. 2026-37)

On May 12, 2026, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of South Korea (MFDS) officially issued Notice No. 2026-37 regarding the amendment of certain provisions of the Food Labeling Standards. This document is issued pursuant to Article 4 and Article 5 of the Act on Food Labeling and Advertising; Article 5, Paragraph 3 and Article 6, Paragraph 5 of the Enforcement Regulation of the same Act.

The purpose of this amendment is to tighten the provision of information to consumers for co-branded alcoholic beverage products to avoid confusion, and at the same time, to amend the labeling standards for decaffeinated coffee products in order to harmonize with international standards.

I. Purpose and Background of the Amendment

• Strengthening labeling regulations for co-branded alcoholic beverage products: Enhancing the obligation to provide information for alcoholic beverage products that use the brand, logo, container shape, or packaging design of non-alcoholic foods, aiming to prevent consumer misidentification or confusion of the products.
• Improving decaffeinated labeling standards for coffee: Adjusting the standards that allow "decaffeinated" labeling on coffee products to align with international standards, in order to clarify technical criteria and synchronize regulations.

II. Detailed Content of the Technical Standard Amendments

1. Improving "Decaffeinated" Labeling Standards for Coffee

• Amended provision: Section III.1.자.2).거).(2).(나) (Beverage Group - Coffee section)
• Current regulation: Allows "Decaffeinated product" labeling for products from which 90% or more of the caffeine content has been removed.
• Amended regulation: Shifting the verification basis to the residual caffeine content calculated based on the dry matter (solids) content of the raw coffee beans after decaffeination. Specifically:
  • New labeling standard: Only when the product uses decaffeinated coffee beans as a raw material, and the residual caffeine content is 0.1% or less calculated based on the dry matter content of the raw coffee beans, is it permitted to be labeled as "탈카페인(디카페인)" (Decaffeinated) or "탈카페인(디카페인) 원두 사용" (Decaffeinated coffee beans used).

2. Tightening Labeling Standards for Co-branded Alcoholic Beverage Products

• Newly added provision: Section III.1.거.2).하).(16) (Alcoholic Beverages section)
• Co-branded alcoholic beverage products that use a trade name, logo, trademark, container, or packaging that is identical or similar to non-alcoholic foods carry a high risk of causing consumer confusion, leading them to perceive the products as ordinary food.
• Mandatory display regulation: In cases where alcoholic beverages are manufactured or processed using identification elements identical or similar to non-alcoholic foods, manufacturers are required to clearly display a phrase identifying the product's nature as alcohol on the principal display panel (PDP).
• Graphic formatting specifications:
  • Mandatory words: 술 (Alcohol) or 주류 (Alcoholic Beverages)
  • Specifications: Must be placed within a border, with a minimum font size of 20 points or larger, and the text color must be clearly distinguishable from the background color.

3. Amending References and Standardizing Food Additive Terminology

• Section III.1.너.8) (General Labeling Methods section): Correcting a text reference error, amending the reference phrase for labeling content related to food irradiation from "Section III.6." to "Section III.4.".
• Annex [Table 5] (List of Food Additives Required to Display Name or Abbreviation): Standardizing additive nomenclature, changing the term '말티톨시럽' (Maltitol Syrup) to '말티톨액' (Liquid Maltitol / Maltitol Solution).

III. Effective date and transitional measures

To provide businesses with a roadmap to adjust production lines and packaging printing, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety sets forth the enforcement provisions as follows:

1. Effective Date (Article 1 of the Supplementary Provisions)

This Notice shall officially enter into force on January 01, 2028.

• Exception: Specifically, the amendment correcting the reference in Section III.1.너.8) and the standardization of additive nomenclature in [Table 5] shall enter into force immediately from the date of promulgation of the notice (May 12, 2026).

2. Scope of Application and Early Application Provision (Article 2)

• This standard applies to all foods, food additives, apparatus, containers, and packaging materials (hereinafter collectively referred to as "Foods...") manufactured, processed, or imported (including goods already loaded on board for import) as of the effective date of the notice.
• Early application: Entities wishing to apply the amended decaffeinated coffee labeling standards (Section III.1.자.2).거).(2).(나)) prior to the general effective date of the notice are fully permitted to implement this regulation early.

3. Transitional Measures for Existing Products (Article 3)

Food products that have been manufactured, processed, or imported in accordance with the old regulations prior to the effective date of this notice are permitted to continue to be distributed, sold, displayed, transported for the purpose of sale, or used in business until the expiration of the use-by date (소비기한) of that specific product.

Link: https://www.mfds.go.kr/brd/m_207/view.do?seq=15167&srchFr=&srchTo=&srchWord=&srchTp=&itm_seq_1=0&itm_seq_2=0&multi_itm_seq=0&company_cd=&company_nm=&page=1

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of South Korea (MFDS) issues Notice No. 2026-40, announcing a partial amendment to the Food Code

I. Effective Date

• The regulations regarding microbiological standards, the list of ingredients, and chemical residue limits: Shall take effect immediately upon issuance (May 19, 2026).

• The amended regulations regarding General Test Methods (Chapter 8): Shall take effect from January 1, 2027, to ensure sufficient technical transition time for testing laboratories.

II. Technical and Regulatory Amendments

1. Application of Statistical Sampling Plans for Microorganisms in FSMPs

For the group of Meal-type Dietary Management Foods under the category of Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP), MFDS abolishes the qualitative evaluation method on a single sample. Instead, the new regulation applies a 2-class/3-class attribute statistical sampling plan (n, c, m, M) for foodborne pathogenic bacterial strains:

• Staphylococcus aureus: n=5, c=1, m=100, M=1000 CFU/g

• Vibrio parahaemolyticus: n=5, c=1, m=100, M=1000 CFU/g

• Clostridium perfringens: n=5, c=2, m=100, M=1000 CFU/g

2. Adjustment and Supplementation of the List of Food Ingredients

The regulatory authority expands and standardizes the list system in the Appendices to synchronize taxonomic data:

• Supplementation of animal and plant-derived ingredients: Add 73 species of aquatic animals (typically the toyama shrimp Argis toyamaensis) to Appendix 1 (Ingredients allowed for use in food). Introduce ingredients with a history of traditional consumption, including sword bean pods/young fruits, Yuzu leaves, and propolis, into Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 (Ingredients with restricted use).

• Conversion of regulatory status (Appendix 3): Transition ingredients including cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata var. hortensia), migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), and Oplopanax elatus Nakai extract from "Temporary Standards and Specifications Approval" status (applicable only to the exclusive applicant) to the list of ingredients for general distribution; simultaneously update the technical description for black ginger (Kaempferia parviflora).

• Supplementation of microbial sources: Integrate 5 microbial strains isolated from traditional fermented foods or recognized as safe by international organizations into Appendices 1 and 2.

• Standardization of baseline data: Calibrate the taxonomic terminology, nomenclature, and specific parts used of 264 existing ingredients to optimize customs clearance lookup and post-market toxicological surveillance.

3. Update of Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs)

• Pesticides: Newly establish and adjust Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for 124 active ingredients (including the herbicide Dimesulfazet). The new regulation expands the scope of monitoring to include unintentional cross-contamination chains into livestock products via feed, soil, and water sources.

• Veterinary drugs (Active ingredient Phenylbutazone): MFDS officially revokes its approval, deletes all current MRLs, and places this active ingredient on the "Prohibited substances" list (Zero-tolerance) in food due to biosafety risks.

4. Modernization of General Test Methods (Chapter 8)

• Allow the application of DNA/RNA-based assays (such as PCR/RT-PCR) as a rapid screening step for foodborne pathogenic bacterial strains (adding a separate protocol for Yersinia enterocolitica). If the screening result is negative, the laboratory is permitted to conclude immediately as "Not detected".

• Eliminate prescriptive, fixed formulations regarding the composition of self-prepared dry rehydratable film media used in the analysis of aerobic plate count, E. coli, and Coliforms; allow the use of internationally standardized dry film media products.

• Increase the sampling size for Salmonella testing on commercial eggs from 20 to 40 sample units to synchronize with the Enforcement Rules of the Livestock Products Sanitary Control Act.

• Update the testing protocols for total Aflatoxin mycotoxins, Benzo(a)pyrene, and Alkaloid toxins in Lupin beans, and unify the technical terminology describing hazardous substances. Simultaneously, add a specific identification test method for the new genetically modified food line carrying the event code MON94313.

Link: MFDS Notice No. 2026-40