Beware of "miracle cures"

Jujubes are being advertised as a "miracle cure" with benefits such as strengthening the spleen, clearing heat, and treating headaches and insomnia. While acknowledging the benefits of jujubes, consumers should pay attention to their clear origin and food safety standards to protect their own health and that of their families.

Advertising everywhere

Recently, information has appeared online about jujubes priced at 80,000 - 120,000 VND/kg. Posing as someone interested in buying these "miracle" jujubes, a reporter contacted the phone number 0904xxxxx of an online store on 48 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi. The staff enthusiastically explained the benefits of jujubes: This type of jujube is especially good for health, with a sweet, refreshing taste, a cooling nature, and a crisp, crunchy texture. It's very beneficial for people with internal heat or insomnia.

When we asked if the imported fruit was safe for consumption, the employee reassured us: "Our imported apples are guaranteed to be clean; even babies can eat them without any problems, so you don't need to worry about the quality." However, when we requested documentation certifying the imported product's food safety, the employee evaded the question and changed the subject.

This fruit is advertised as a multi-functional "miracle cure," said to have cooling properties and to treat headaches and insomnia, even better than the dried jujubes found in traditional Chinese medicine.

Another online shop owned by Ms. K. Luong on Nguyen Trai Street advertised: “Fresh jujube season has arrived, this fruit is especially good for health. Moms, please let me know the quantity you want, the shipment arrives tomorrow and I'll deliver it to you. Order quickly! The price is a lovely 110,000 VND/kg. I guarantee it's both delicious and nutritious...”

According to many vendors, jujubes are a specialty fruit grown only in China. The vendors directly transport these fruits by truck to the border crossing, resulting in a price several tens of thousands of dong cheaper than others. Importantly, the jujubes are guaranteed to be fresh, crisp, and sweet.

Food Safety Notice

Holding two bags of jujubes she had just received from an online delivery service, Ms. Kim Loan (Pho Vong, Hanoi) shared that this type of jujube is sweet, quite different from the astringent taste of Vietnamese jujubes. That's why her husband and children really enjoy eating them. To get these 4kg of jujubes, she had to order them two days in advance.

Ms. Loan affirmed that when buying apples, she did some research online and found that traditional Chinese medicine practitioners claimed apples are a medicinal herb that strengthens the spleen and treats insomnia. Therefore, when the seller told her that it was a medicinal herb that could clear heat and treat headaches and insomnia, she believed it and immediately ordered several kilograms to try.

However, when asked by reporters about the food safety of the apples, Ms. Loan only said that although she could not produce any documents, the seller guaranteed the safety and that the product had been thoroughly tested using scientific methods (?!).

According to an expert in the agricultural industry, jujubes are commonly grown in China. They are often harvested and dried for use as an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. However, ripe jujubes are difficult to preserve and are prone to bruising.

Regarding whether these apples are clean or not, this expert advises consumers to be cautious and buy from places with clear origins. Currently, there is no evidence to prove that this fruit is clean and safe. Basic requirements regarding origin, import methods, and storage are unclear; it's mostly a matter of trusting the seller's word.

In an interview with reporters, Associate Professor Pham Viet Du, Deputy Director of the Military Traditional Medicine Hospital, stated that apples are a traditional Chinese medicine ingredient used to strengthen the spleen and treat insomnia. However, to ensure the health of consumers, it is essential to pay attention to the product's origin and food safety conditions.

According to VOV