HANOI, April 16 (Bernama-VNA/VNS) — Hanoi plans to pilot the installation of 100 AI-powered cameras at food safety hotspots in a bid to strengthen monitoring and modernise governance, officials said at a meeting on Wednesday, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
The cameras will be deployed at centralised slaughterhouses, wholesale markets and street food areas, with the ability to operate round-the-clock and automatically detect violations, enabling timely and accurate enforcement.
The proposal was discussed at a meeting held by the Hanoi People’s Committee to review efforts to address bottlenecks in food safety management and launch the 2026 ‘Action Month for Food Safety’.
At the meeting, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Health Vu Cao Cuong said food safety management in the capital has improved significantly following recent enforcement efforts.
Notably, 173 out of 231 business sites encroaching on roads and pavements have been cleared, equivalent to 75 per cent. The city has also eliminated 101 small-scale slaughterhouses that failed to meet hygiene standards.
Authorities at the commune and ward level have sanctioned 927 violating establishments, with total fines exceeding VND5.9 billion (US$224,000). City police have also prosecuted five cases involving 10 defendants for producing and trading counterfeit food products, strengthening deterrence against violations.
Officials said that pilot models currently underway, including centralised slaughterhouses, food-safe wholesale markets, traditional markets, collective kitchens and ready-to-eat meal services, have helped improve control over high-risk stages such as slaughtering, markets and street food.
The models have also contributed to restoring order in small-scale food businesses, improving transparency and helping consumers make safer choices, while laying the groundwork for a shift from reactive to proactive management.
To further address persistent challenges, the city will expand the use of technology, including AI surveillance and static QR codes at traditional market stalls, alongside the operation of the 1022 hotline to receive public feedback.
— NNN-BERNAMA-VNA/VNS