Concerns arise about the risk of premature aging and infertility from bubble tea.

A young woman drinks a giant cup of bubble tea, priced at 12,000 VND, near Turtle Lake in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Mạnh Khang.

Over the past 20 days, Hanoi's Market Management Department has discovered two very large batches of bubble tea ingredients of unknown origin.

The latest case was discovered on January 15th, when Teams 1 and 6 of the Hanoi Market Management Department, in coordination with the Tu Liem District Police, inspected the warehouse of Heekcaa Vietnam Co., Ltd. in Nam Tu Liem District.

During the inspection, market management authorities discovered over 220 bags of 250g tea, 630 packages of unlabeled semi-finished products, and 1,200 packages of unopened packaging bearing the foreign brand "cjwx". Approximately half of these had been repackaged and relabeled as being produced in Vietnam, along with several 5kg cans of condensed milk bearing foreign brand names. The owner of the shipment was unable to produce invoices or documentation for many of the items in the consignment.

Counterfeit goods, goods of unknown origin.

According to Mr. Hoang Dai Nghia, team leader of Hanoi's Market Management Team No. 6, the inspected establishment was selling bubble tea, and among the inspected items, some had invoices and supporting documents, while those without invoices and supporting documents are being temporarily seized.

"This company's actions show signs of trading in counterfeit goods, and authorities are currently assessing the value of the shipment. For the act of trading in counterfeit food products, if the value of the shipment exceeds 30 million VND, it will be considered for criminal prosecution," Mr. Nghia said.

According to a representative from the National Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene Testing, it is highly advisable to test a large quantity of bubble tea to assess its quality, as the majority of bubble tea consumers are students. "If the product contains chemicals or has quality issues, there are concerns about its impact on the future generations and the health of these children," Mr. Nghia suggested.

In Hang Buom Street (Hanoi), a major wholesale hub for confectionery, additives, and ingredients for the food and beverage industry, imported black tea, powdered milk, and tapioca pearls – components of bubble tea – have long been widely sold through unofficial channels, with unclear origins.

According to numerous recipes shared online and "advice" from grocery store owners at Binh Tay Market (District 6, Ho Chi Minh City), to run a profitable bubble tea business, one should avoid using fresh milk or condensed milk and instead use cream powder and other cheap ingredients. All the products advertised are of unknown origin and lack labels.

Do not drinkeveryday

Nutrition expert Tran Lan Huong also expressed concern about bubble tea, as the relatively high amount of sugar in the product could increase the risk of overweight and obesity among students.

Currently, the market is flooded with bubble tea vendors. From branded bubble tea shops to mobile carts, regardless of price—from student-friendly options at 12,000-15,000 VND per cup to more expensive ones at 50,000-60,000 VND per cup—all are very popular among students.

Regarding the nutritional content of bubble tea, Dr. Tran Thi Minh Hanh, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Nutrition Center, immediately emphasized: "Bubble tea is just a delicious drink and should not be considered a type of 'milk' to drink every day."

Dr. Minh Hanh explained that milk tea mainly consists of tea bags, cream powder, sugar or syrup, and may also contain other ingredients such as jelly, tapioca pearls, flan, cheese, etc. Although called milk tea, it contains almost no fresh milk, so it doesn't provide the same nutrients as milk. The cream powder is mainly fat and low in protein. Consuming too much milk tea can easily lead to overweight, obesity, and fatigue.

Dr. Tran Ngoc Luu Phuong, Head of the Interventional Gastroenterology Unit at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, stated that each cup of bubble tea contains 500-600 kilocalories, equivalent to more than a full bowl of rice with vegetables and meat. However, while it provides sufficient energy, it lacks essential nutrients such as protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

"The tapioca pearls in bubble tea contain starch, which clumps together when eaten, slowing down the body's processing and digestion, leading to bloating and a lack of hunger. Drinking bubble tea already lacks nutrients, and skipping meals further exacerbates nutritional imbalance," said Dr. Phuong.

Risks of aging and infertility.

According to Dr. Luu Phuong, being "addicted" to bubble tea means consuming a large amount of carbohydrates over a long period. This poses a risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and premature cell aging. The sugar in bubble tea is often artificial sweetener combined with flavorings and additives. Although these substances are on the list of permitted food ingredients, consuming excessive amounts daily is still not good.

Dr. Luu Phuong stated that in some countries, milk tea has been found to contain maleic acid, which can cause kidney failure and infertility. The tapioca pearls in milk tea are made from polymer, which the body cannot absorb or excrete. Drinking too much tea can limit iron absorption. Combining tea and milk causes the protein in the milk to precipitate, making it difficult for the body to absorb nutrients from the milk.

Expired milk tea ingredients

Mr. Tran Truong Chinh, Deputy Chief Inspector of the Can Tho Department of Health, said that during recent food safety inspections of bubble tea businesses in the area, violations found included inadequate hygiene conditions and brewing equipment, small-scale trading without food safety certificates, use of expired bubble tea ingredients, use of ingredients of unknown origin, and failure to conduct health checks for employees.

Regarding the milk tea processing procedure, with many diverse ingredients that are either homemade or imported (mainly from Taiwan and China), food poisoning can easily occur if food safety regulations are not followed...