The municipal Department of Education and Training has instructed schools and local authorities to strengthen food traceability, monitor banned substances used in livestock farming and verify suppliers of school meals.
The directive follows a police investigation into the use of salbutamol, a prohibited lean-meat agent, in pig farming.
According to police findings, those involved had supplied more than 10,000 tonnes of pigs raised using the substance to markets in HCM City and several southern provinces since January 2026.
The case has raised concerns that contaminated meat could enter food supply chains, including those serving school meals.
HCM City schools have been instructed to tighten food safety checks amid concerns over banned substances entering meal supply chains. (Illustrative photo: Nguyen Loan)
Schools must require food suppliers to provide documents verifying product origins and check deliveries against those records.
They must also maintain inspection records and retain food samples in accordance with regulations.
The department instructed schools to immediately suspend the use of food suspected of containing banned substances or animal products of unknown origin.
In such cases, schools must preserve the products and samples and promptly notify local authorities, police and the education department for investigation.
Schools are prohibited from accepting animal products of unknown origin, those failing disease safety requirements or those containing banned substances.
The department also called for greater awareness among teachers, staff, students and parents about the risks associated with prohibited livestock substances and the importance of reporting food safety concerns.
Schools must select food and prepared-meal suppliers from establishments holding valid food safety certificates issued by the municipal Food Safety Department.