Bean sprouts are still being sold normally at local markets in Nghe An.

Recently, the Investigation Police Department of Dak Lak province has prosecuted defendants involved in the case of thousands of tons of bean sprouts soaked in the banned substance 6-Benzylaminopurine, a "super-fast" growth stimulant that helps produce bean sprouts quickly and in large quantities.

It is worth noting that this banned substance has adverse effects on human health; ingesting large amounts can be fatal; pregnant women who inhale or have prolonged skin contact with it may experience low birth weight, hydrocephalus, and other birth defects... This information has shocked public opinion and caused many housewives to worry.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai, a housewife in Hung Phuc ward (Vinh City), said: "Bean sprouts can be used in many dishes: salads, stews, stir-fries, and eaten raw, so they are often present in family meals. The information about bean sprouts containing harmful banned substances is truly worrying."

But according to Ms. Hoai, she usually buys bean sprouts that she soaks herself from an acquaintance. The seller only sprouts a few batches, enough to sell at one market day, and doesn't produce them in large quantities, so she feels quite reassured.

These days, at local markets in Vinh City, consumers are quite cautious about using bean sprouts as a food item in their daily meals. However, there is no situation where consumers are turning their backs on bean sprouts.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet, a small vendor at Hung Dung Market (Vinh City), said: “These past few days, I’ve been selling an average of two bundles of bean sprouts (equivalent to 10kg) each day. These bean sprouts are homemade using traditional methods, and I’ve been selling them for decades, mostly to regular customers who trust me. Therefore, I’m still selling as usual…”

At Vinh Market – a wholesale market for bean sprouts supplied to retailers – Ms. Lien, the owner of a bean sprout stall, said that she sells about 500 kg of bean sprouts daily to both wholesale and retail customers. She mainly sells to restaurants and eateries. She grows her own bean sprouts, not importing them, so she sells them as usual, with prices ranging from 14,000 to 15,000 VND per kg.

However, nowadays, consumers are quite cautious when buying bean sprouts. Accordingly, they often choose sellers who grow their own bean sprouts using traditional methods, in earthenware jars or metal containers belonging to acquaintances; they choose bean sprouts that are slightly long and have many roots instead of short, thick sprouts without roots.

"I usually buy bean sprouts from trusted acquaintances, knowing they grow them themselves, to avoid buying from wholesale markets where I can't be sure of the origin," said Ms. Nguyen Thi Ai Huong, a housewife.

Meanwhile, some people, concerned about their health, have started growing bean sprouts at home instead of buying them from the market. According to experienced growers, growing bean sprouts is quite simple, the ingredients are easy to buy, and it only takes 5-7 days to have sprouts ready to use.

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How to distinguish between clean bean sprouts and bean sprouts soaked in chemicals:
*) Observe the roots:Traditional bean sprouts take about a week to grow, so they usually develop many long roots, with secondary roots growing from the rhizome. In contrast, bean sprouts grown with growth stimulants have no roots or very short roots.

The reason is that vendors soak bean sprouts in water containing chemicals that cause all parts of the sprouts to absorb water, resulting in underdeveloped roots.
Bean sprout color: Bean sprouts soaked in growth stimulants will be pure white and very appealing, while regular bean sprouts are pale white or milky white.
*) Observe the shape:Bean sprouts soaked in growth stimulants look plump and appealing, but they are brittle and easily broken. Clean bean sprouts, on the other hand, are thinner, less prone to breaking, and less visually attractive. Clean bean sprouts have leaves that are slightly open, or you can see yellow or green leaf buds emerging from the outside, while chemically treated sprouts have two tightly closed seed sprouts. Buyers can distinguish them by these two characteristics.

*) Bean sprout flavor:When eaten, clean bean sprouts have a refreshing, cool, and sweet taste; the sprouts are crispy, firm, and juicy. In contrast, bean sprouts soaked in chemicals tend to be spongy, drier, and less fragrant and sweet. Even a careful sniff will reveal lingering chemical odors.