VietNamNet Bridge – Dr. Chu Pham Ngoc Son, Chairman of the HCM City Chemistry Association, said that test results of fresh vermicelli samples taken from a vermicelli processing facility in District 8, HCM City, contained tinopal, a chemical that is banned in food processing.

The announcement was made at a press conference of the HCM City Department of Health and Department of Industry and Trade on Monday, July 29.

Dr. Son said the test of tinopal is difficult and requires modern techniques so if the tests are not conducted carefully and well, technicians may not detect tinopal in vermicelli.

"I found only in Vietnam that tinopal is used in processing vermicelli. The world has never reported such a case," Dr. Son said.

The expert also said that besides tinopal, some samples of food products processed from rice contained other chemicals such as sodium sulfite (Na2SO3), sodium benzoate, oxalic acid and formaldehyde.

Sodium sulfite and sodium benzoate are permitted to be used for food, but at regulated levels but acid oxalic and formaldehyde are not allowed.

Also in the press conference, Ms. Le Ngoc Dao, deputy director of HCM City Department of Industry and Trade said, Ho Chi Minh City now has more than 200 vermicelli production facilities. The authorities recently collected 33 samples of fresh vermicelli from some facilities for testing. Nineteen samples did not have tinopal while the remaining samples are awaiting results.

Mr. Nguyen Tan Binh, Director of the Health Department said that tinopal is industrial chemical so it is banned in food processing. This is the substance used to bleach pulp and to make detergent. Using tinopal in food is toxic to human health.

The HCM City Health Department has requested the Food Safety Bureau to collect samples of fresh vermicelli and food products made from flour and cereals to test and then inform of the results to consumers.

Earlier, the Center for Consumption Research and Consulting of the Association for Standards and Protection of Vietnam Consumers announced that 100 percent samples of rice cakes in HCM City containing tinopal.

After that the HCM City Food Hygiene and Safety Bureau said seven samples of food products made from rice contained not only tinopal but also natri benzoate and many other substances. Particularly, tinopal found in fresh vermicelli with the content from 1-4 ppm (mg/kg).

Thanh Huyen