Miwon recalls 100 tons of Hai Ngu fish sauce with sediment

Miwon has just announced that it has taken remedial measures such as blocking and recalling a batch of 100 tons of Hai Ngu brand fish sauce that had sediment. For products that have been sold, customers can exchange them...

In a response letter to the NTNN Newspaper about the Hai Ngu brand fish sauce product batch that had sediment on September 17, Miwon Vietnam Company (Miwon) admitted its mistake and apologized to "Vietnamese consumers for the incident as well as the negligence in handling the recent incident."

Image of Miwon's Hai Ngu fish sauce bottle with sediment (Photo provided by reader).Miwon admitted its mistake and apologized to "Vietnamese consumers".Maleabout the incident as well as the mistakes in handling the recent incident." (Photo: NTNN)

Regarding the batch of Miwon Hai Ngu fish sauce produced on April 7, 2012 that had sediment, Miwon Vietnam Co., Ltd. sent the analysis results of the sample of Miwon Hai Ngu fish sauce that had sediment from the Ho Chi Minh City Laboratory Analysis Service Center under the Department of Science and Technology.TechnologyHo Chi Minh City. The results showed that the residue was identified as calcium citrate. However, Miwon affirmed: "This substance is not harmful to human health, it is an additive used in food production according to regulations of the health sector."

Miwon also said that it has taken corrective measures such as blocking and recalling the defective batch. For products that have been sold, customers can exchange them at the nearest Miwon stores and agents or contact the company's phone number (04 37680563) to have them exchanged at home. Miwon has destroyed the recalled products. Previously, despite advertising as "clean fish sauce", "new technology with 3 super-filtration steps, eliminating all harmful bacteria", 100 tons of Hai Ngu fish sauce of Miwon Vietnam had sediment.

The incident is even more regrettable when this Korean food company blames the use of salt in the water and there is no information showing that Miwon proactively announced the defective product batch according to the provisions of the Food Safety Law when the incident occurred, but only quietly "blocked" the product that had been put on the market.

Furthermore, when customers complained to the hotline, they received an explanation from Miwon that the filter membrane of this batch of fish sauce was torn, and "pushed" the error to... the domestic salt manufacturer when they said: "The main cause of the residue is the use of domestically produced salt"; "Recently, there was a shortage of foreign salt, so we used domestic salt sources, and could not control the calcium content"...

However, according to Dr. Phung Ha - Director of the Department of Chemicals (Ministry of Industry and Trade), in theory, the sedimentation of fish sauce due to calcium precipitation in salt can occur. However, the reason why sedimentation occurs needs to consider the entire fish sauce production process, not just the salt. Mr. Tran The Dung - Head of Production Management Department of Vietnam Salt Company said that the company also has two fish sauce production units: Thanh Hoa Salt Company and Central Salt Company.

Both companies use 100% domestic salt to produce fish sauce but have never heard customers complain about sediment. "Why do other companies use domestic salt without sediment, but Miwon leaves sediment in the bottle like that? Miwon must explain this clearly" - Mr. Dung said. Mr. Dung also said that Vietnam Salt Company can also export salt to demanding markets like Japan.

Speaking to the press, the director of a famous fish sauce company in Hanoi also said that the production of fish sauce that has sediment is a rare case. Miwon's failure to allow such a large quantity of fish sauce to accumulate sediment requires reviewing the production process before blaming domestic salt.

According to VTC News-M