Cancer-causing agent found in food, seasoning
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Health inspectors have found a cancer-causing agent in three of 23 samples of food and seasoning seized from city-based markets and supermarkets, Ho Chi Minh City Health Department told the media Thursday.
Tests on the three products seized last month from two markets found them containing Rhodamine B, a chemical compound used as a dye which local scientists said should not be used to color food or medicine.
It is meant only for dyeing plastic goods and textiles.
The inspectors said the carcinogenic sample of dried watermelon seeds, a popular snack for Vietnamese people in the Tet (lunar new year) holidays, was seized from Tan Dinh Market in District 1.
Two other carcinogenic samples of chili powder were found in the Tan Dinh Market and Nguyen Van Troi Market in District 3.
The Health Department has ordered to destroy the tainted products and investigations into their origin are still underway.
In related news, the department said it had closed 16 of 232 food supply establishments in the city for violating food hygiene regulations after a three-month inspection.
