HÀ NỘI — PM Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has asked Hà Nội’s People’s Committee to order authorised agencies to impose strict penalties on units and individuals committing violations while checking quality of Vietfoods sausage products, the online Vietnamplus reported.

Earlier, on April 20 last year, sausages manufactured by Hùng Anh Commerce Co Ltd in Hà Nội’s Hoàng Mai District were seized by Hà Nội Market Surveillance team No 14 on the suspicion of containing banned substances that could lead to cancer.

The media then broadcast the news that the sausages contained banned substances and therefore the company’s plant must stop its work.

This inaccurate information led to concerns among customers and also affected the sausage manufacturer. Customers returned more than 10 tonnes of sausages to the company.

More than 100 workers were forced to temporarily halt work, causing losses worth several billions of đồng. 

On May 19 last year, food processor Vietfoods submitted a petition requesting help from the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Health and the city’s People’s Committee to investigate and address the issue.

Following the report of the two ministries, the Prime Minister ordered punishment in accordance with the law.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade was asked to step up training on legal knowledge and professional skills for officials of market surveillance teams to avoid repeated violations.

The Việt Nam Food Administration under the Ministry of Health also confirmed that 2.2 tonnes of Vietfoods sausages, which had been confiscated by the Hà Nội Market Surveillance, were safe.

The additive Sodium nitrate INS 251, which was used to make the sausages, is safe and is not listed as a banned substance by the Ministry of Health.

According to the health ministry’s regulations, a maximum of 168mg of the substance can be used in 1kg of food. Vietfoods sausages contained 100mg of the substance per kg. — VNS