Chinsu and Nam Ngu fish sauces accused of chemicals, Masan fights back

TAccording to information sent to the press, the company confirmed that it has invested in basic raw materials for the fish sauce industry. Currently, the company owns a fish sauce fermentation tank in Phu Quoc, with a scale of nearly 500 tanks with a total capacity of over 10,000 tons of fish.

This facility supplies about 15% of the total demand for raw fish sauce for Chinsu and Nam Ngu fish sauce products.

In addition, the company also cooperates in purchasing from reputable fish sauce manufacturers in Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet... All raw fish sauce sources must comply with strict quality standards.

Masan's Nam Ngu fish sauce is being accused of containing chemicals. Photo: NCĐT.

The company claims that its fish sauce products are processed and bottled according to a closed technological process. The company has a strict quality control system, with complete quality declaration records at the Department of Food Safety (Ministry of Health) or local Department of Health in accordance with regulations. The ingredients of the product are clearly stated on the label in accordance with regulations on product labeling.

The company also reiterated the message presented at the previous industry conference, that "not everything with high protein content is delicious. Not everything with high protein content is good. Not everything with salty salt is clean". This is also the content that has caused much anger among traditional fish sauce manufacturers, creating a war of words between representatives of the two product lines.

Masan raised the issue of food safety and hygiene in Vietnam at an alarming level, the cause of which is uncontrolled input materials. Manufacturers abuse unauthorized chemicals, do not comply with food safety and hygiene regulations...

The company believes that failure to comply with and meet national technical regulations on heavy metal contamination limits in food is extremely serious.

"This risks directly affecting the health of millions of consumers. In addition, it also negatively impacts the export of Vietnamese agricultural products and processed foods to the world," said a Masan representative.

The brand also stated that it has complied with food safety regulations as prescribed by the Ministry of Health since 2011. Specifically, the company has announced product quality, clearly stating the quality standards and heavy metal content that the unit complies with for fish sauce products (belonging to the clear dipping sauce group).

This unit said it has sent a petition to state management agencies to direct and comprehensively inspect the fish sauce industry, focusing on compliance with regulations on heavy metal contamination limits in food, especially arsenic.

Previously, the press reported on the situation of industrial fish sauce containing many types of chemicals dominating the market.

Accordingly, Nam Ngu brand fish sauce sold in traditional markets and Coop.Mart supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City, trusted by many people, contains up to 17 chemicals in addition to water, salt, sugar and anchovy essence.

The newspaper quoted Dr. Tran Van Ky, in charge of the Southern office of the Vietnam Association for Food Safety Science and Technology, as saying: "A bottle of fish sauce with up to 17 types of additives can be compared to the act of mixing water with chemicals to sell for money, so how can it be called fish sauce?"

On October 10, 2016, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc directed the Ministry of Health to preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant agencies to urgently inspect, clarify, and report to the Prime Minister before October 22.

According to Zing