Bean sprouts are still sold normally at Nghe An traditional markets.
After the discovery of bean sprouts soaked in dangerous banned substances in Dak Lak, in the traditional markets in Nghe An, the consumption of bean sprouts is still taking place normally, and many people choose to buy them as food.
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Recently, the Dak Lak Provincial Police Investigation Agency prosecuted suspects related to thousands of tons of bean sprouts soaked in the banned substance 6-Benzylaminopurine, a "super-speed" stimulant that helps produce bean sprouts quickly and in large quantities.
It is worth noting that this banned substance has a negative impact on human health; ingesting large amounts can cause death; pregnant women who inhale it or have long-term skin contact can cause low birth weight, hydrocephalus and birth defects... The above information has shocked public opinion, making many housewives worried.
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Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai, a housewife in Hung Phuc ward (Vinh city) said: "Bean sprouts can be processed into many dishes: salad, cooked, stir-fried and eaten raw, so they are often present in family meals. The information about bean sprouts containing harmful banned substances is really worrying."
But according to Ms. Hoai, she often buys bean sprouts from an acquaintance, the seller only soaks a few sprouts, enough to sell for one market session, not mass production, so she is quite assured.
These days, in the local markets in Vinh city, consumers are quite cautious in using bean sprouts as food for daily meals. However, there is no situation where consumers “turn their backs” on bean sprouts.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuyet, a trader at Hung Dung market (Vinh city) said: “These days, on average, I still sell 2 bean sprouts per day (equivalent to 10kg). These bean sprouts are soaked and fermented by me in the traditional way, I have been selling for decades, mainly to regular customers, and everyone trusts me. Therefore, I still sell normally…”.
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At Vinh market - where bean sprouts are sold wholesale to retailers, Ms. Lien, the owner of a bean sprout stall here, said that every day she sells about 500 kg of bean sprouts to the wholesale and retail market. Mainly sold to restaurants and eateries. She soaks and ferments the bean sprouts herself, not imported from elsewhere, so she still sells normally, not affected compared to before, the selling price fluctuates 14,000-15,000 VND/kg.
However, nowadays, consumers are quite cautious when buying bean sprouts. Accordingly, they often choose sellers who incubate bean sprouts in the traditional way, in earthenware jars or metal barrels of acquaintances; choose bean sprouts that are slightly long and have many roots instead of choosing short, fat, rootless ones.
“I often buy bean sprouts from people I know and know that they grow them themselves. I avoid buying them from wholesale markets because I don’t know the origin,” said housewife Nguyen Thi Ai Huong.
Meanwhile, some people, because of health concerns, have fermented bean sprouts at home for use instead of buying them at the market. According to experienced people, soaking bean sprouts is quite simple, the ingredients are easy to buy, it only takes 5-7 days to have bean sprouts to use.
How to distinguish clean bean sprouts and chemically soaked bean sprouts:
*) Root observation:Traditional bean sprouts take about a week to grow, so they usually have many long roots, with rhizomes and secondary roots growing out. Meanwhile, bean sprouts with growth stimulants have no roots or if they do have roots, they are very short.The reason is that the seller soaks the bean sprouts in water containing chemicals, causing all parts of the bean sprouts to absorb water, resulting in poor root development.
Bean sprout color: Bean sprouts soaked in growth stimulant will have a pure white color that looks very eye-catching, while regular bean sprouts have a light white or milky color.
*) Observe the shape:Bean sprouts soaked in growth stimulants look fat, plump, extremely attractive but brittle, easily broken. Clean bean sprouts look thinner, the sprouts are harder to break and look unattractive. Clean bean sprouts have leaves that open or look from the outside will have yellow or green sprouts while bean sprouts soaked in chemicals have 2 sprouts tightly closed together. Buyers can tell the difference by looking at them.*) Bean sprout flavor:When eaten, clean bean sprouts have a fresh, cool and sweet taste, the bean sprouts are crispy, dense and juicy. Meanwhile, bean sprouts soaked in chemicals have a spongy, drier body, are not as fragrant and sweet. Even if you smell them closely, you can still feel the lingering chemical smell.
