(Photo: baochinhphu.vn)

Effective July 2, dried noodles and vermicelli or instant noodles exported from Vietnam will no longer be subject to stringent inspections at European border gates. This change follows over two years of mandatory inspections and food safety certification requirements imposed by the European Commission (EC).

The removal signifies the EU’s recognition of Vietnam’s effective hygiene and safety controls in its food industry, presenting an opportunity for export businesses to penetrate a market of over 450 million people.

The EC’s decision will substantially reduce the logistical and financial burdens on manufacturing businesses.

Trinh Ngoc Phuong, Sales Director of VIFON Joint Stock Company, said: “We will no longer need to spend money on analyzing semi-finished product samples to send to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Other companies will no longer need to spend money on analyzing ethylene-oxide parameters to send to functional agencies before exporting their products nor will they need to apply for health certificates for product ingredients as previously required by European regulations.”

Despite this positive development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade advises businesses to continue adhering to European food safety regulations.

Nguyen Viet Tan, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology, said: “Businesses need to comply with regulations on food safety to avoid having the EU reinstate the products into Appendix 2, which could lead to inspection frequencies of up to 50%.”

Tran Ngoc Quan, Vietnam Trade Counselor to Belgium and the EU, said: "The current EU threshold for ethylene-oxide residue is 0.01%. We recommend that businesses still test products at standard laboratories to ensure compliance.”

Vietnam exports approximately 30,000 tons of instant noodles each month. The EC’s removal of Vietnamese instant noodles from the strict inspection list marks a significant step toward facilitating the entry of more Vietnamese agricultural products into the EU market.