Dough being deep-fried in a pan. Photo by Pexels
Vietnamese authorities have uncovered a major food safety scandal where tens of thousands of tons of animal-feed oil were secretly sold as cooking oil to restaurants, factories and food producers across the country.
The Department of Food Safety issued a nationwide warning on Wednesday after Hung Yen provincial police busted a large counterfeit oil operation. The Nhat Minh Food Production and Import-Export Company allegedly imported low-grade vegetable oil meant for animal feed, repackaged it under the OFOOD brand, and distributed it as cooking oil for human consumption.
“This fake cooking oil threatens public health,” a Food Safety official said.
Animal-feed oil is often crude, unrefined, and may contain toxins, impurities and chemicals not safe for humans. Long-term consumption can cause poisoning, organ damage, toxin buildup and increased risk for chronic diseases.
Authorities urged all industrial kitchens, restaurants, food suppliers and factories to strictly verify supplier documents, adding that any ingredient used outside its intended purpose, even with proper paperwork, remains illegal and dangerous.
In April, police in Phu Tho province seized 71,000 liters of fake cooking oil, 40 tons of monosodium glutamate, 22 tons of counterfeit seasoning powder and 9 tons of fake seasoning salt. In Hanoi, officials confiscated untraceable frozen meat, sausages, hot pot ingredients and chemically treated bean sprouts.
Authorities warn that many of these toxic products are sold cheaply through social media, street markets and informal supply chains, often ending up in school canteens, industrial kitchens and food factories.
