Ho Chi Minh City is preparing a new rule that will sort food‑safety incidents into three emergency levels. The change matters because it tells the city exactly how to react when a food problem threatens health, security or tourism.

The draft splits incidents into Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. Level 1 covers problems that stay within a local area. Level 2 includes local incidents that also meet at least one extra condition – such as happening in an industrial park, an educational institution for high‑school students or older, affecting two or more wards, or causing a death. Level 3 is reserved for cases that involve the death of a foreign national or that could affect the city’s security, political stability, social order or tourism.

According to the proposal, ward‑ and commune‑level administrations will lead the response to Level 1 incidents, using a local rapid‑response team made up of ward officials, health stations, police and food‑safety staff. For Level 2 incidents, the municipal Food Safety Department will take charge, while Level 3 incidents will be directed by the municipal administration, which will ask the Food Safety Department to coordinate with other relevant agencies.

The draft requires rapid‑response teams to start initial actions within two hours of receiving a report and to file a preliminary report within 24 hours. A municipal rapid‑response team, led by the Food Safety Department, will handle Level 2 and Level 3 cases and will include representatives from the Department of Health, the Department of Public Security and other specialised agencies. The draft also lists four ways to report incidents: a 24‑hour Food Safety Department hotline, an online system that links health facilities and schools, official digital platforms announced by the municipal administration, and direct reports from media, social media, and government agencies.

The new system gives Ho Chi Minh City a clear way to classify food‑safety emergencies and to act fast. It links reporting, rapid teams and municipal leadership to protect public health and tourism.