Speaking at a closing event on May 13, Nguyen Thi Khanh, chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, said one of the key issues organizers focused on this year’s festival was food safety and hygiene.

With hot weather posing risks to the quality of ingredients such as pate, pickles, meat and sausages, organizers said they worked closely with relevant agencies to strengthen inspections and monitoring before and during the event, including conducting random sample tests, Your Three newspaper reported.

Throughout the festival, stalls were monitored continuously, while food vendors were required to wear gloves and masks during food preparation.

Organizers said any violations of food safety regulations would result in immediate suspension from the event.

Thanks to the strict oversight, no major food safety incidents were reported despite the festival being held during the hot season.

Food safety was made a focus at the festival following several mass poisoining cases involving the street food icon in HCMC and nearby localities in recent months.

Following the success of this year’s festival, organizers said a company in the United States has expressed interest in supporting a future edition of the festival there.

The Vietnamese diplomatic mission in Singapore is also working to connect with potential organizers in the city-state, Vietnam News Agency reported.