HO CHI MINH CITY -- Vietnam is preparing to amend its food safety law to include requirements for delivery apps like Shopee and Grab, a matter of top concern for the public as hardly a month goes by without reports of food vendors cutting corners.

The legal revision may pass as soon as next month, when parliament convenes. Under the proposed change, app operators will be required to post details about food sellers, including their business registrations, and to set up a channel for couriers and customers to report food issues.

Other details that the platforms must include are store signs, if applicable, and certificates showing that certain products have been approved for sale, the Ministry of Health said Thursday.

"Instead of just appearing on the app with the name of the dish, product images and phone numbers," vendors must give "information to help consumers identify where the food is produced," and other legal documents, said the ministry, which is taking comments on the draft amendment.

Meals can be very cheap in Southeast Asia's fastest-growing economy -- less than $1 at some eateries -- putting pressure on businesses to reduce costs. From buffalo meat disguised as pricier beef, to noodles laced with chemicals, Vietnam is no stranger to food scandals. While its rich cuisine is a major selling point for tourists and citizens alike, food safety remains a top worry in consumer surveys.

Something similar is happening in Indonesia, where tainted school lunches have caused thousands of cases of food poisoning. Vietnam has had similar incidents, albeit on a smaller scale. And unlike in Indonesia, Vietnamese school lunches are not free.

Authorities in Hanoi, for example, recently inspected a school following reports of discolored meat. They concluded this week that the food did not appear abnormal, but they called for operational changes.

Vietnam must clarify the "responsibility of online food delivery services, street food, e-commerce platform owners and social networks," the rubber-stamp parliament said Thursday.

While the bill addresses other food regulations, delivery startups have been added because they were not common when the original law came out in 2010.

Shopee, Grab, VinFast-linked Green SM, and Be Group, which deliver millions of orders by motorbike, did not reply to Nikkei Asia's request for comment.

The one-party state said it is also working on traceability and risk tiers, such as prior approval for high-risk items like baby formula, but not for bagged produce or other low-risk food items. During debate on the legal draft on Thursday, a parliamentary committee said it "harbors significant concerns" about testing capacity, enforcement resources and funding for a database to verify products' safety.

The one-party state said it is also working on traceability and risk tiers, such as prior approval for high-risk items like baby formula, but not for bagged produce or other low-risk food items. During debate on the legal draft on Thursday, a parliamentary committee said it "harbors significant concerns" about testing capacity, enforcement resources and funding for a database to verify products' safety.

"Food safety is not guaranteed by creating more licenses, but with a better safety standard, better data, stronger post-inspection and undeniable responsibility," said National Assembly Chair Tran Thanh Manh.

The bill is also meant to clarify the Health Ministry's role as the main agency overseeing food safety, as Vietnam is undergoing a massive restructuring of ministries and provincial governments.