Beware of dirty food during Tet

The time near Tet is also the time when dirty foods, expired foods, foods of unknown origin... have the opportunity to mix and release into the consumer market.

Dirty food floods the Tet market

Currently, the Lunar New Year is approaching, consumer purchasing power has increased significantly. Concerns about food hygiene and safety have become a "hot" issue. Especially recently, the authorities of Hanoi city have continuously uncovered cases related to the trading of dirty food of unknown origin.

A typical example is the interception of nearly 2 tons of food of unknown origin that was about to be "smuggled" into the market. Specifically, on the morning of January 13, Market Management Team No. 2 coordinated with the Environmental Police Team (Hoan Kiem District Police) to inspect a shipment of dried radishes that were being gathered on the sidewalk in front of house No. 4, Lane 40, Tran Nhat Duat Street, Dong Xuan Ward.

The entire shipment was packed in plastic bags, wrapped in sacks, with Chinese characters written on the bags. The total weight of the goods was 1,930 kg. The owner of the goods was unable to provide any invoices or documents to clarify the origin of the 1,930 kg of radishes mentioned above.

Nearly 2 tons of dried radishes of unknown origin were seized by authorities.

Also in the morning of the same day, during an inspection at Dong Xuan market, the working group discovered two shipments of dried fruit and tofu of unknown origin. The authorities seized and destroyed the goods, and imposed administrative fines on the owners of the shipments.

Foods such as: dried apricots, bean curd, dried fruits... are currently becoming foods that many consumers are looking to buy and use. However, the worrying thing here is the issue of food hygiene and safety. Because in just a short time, the functional forces of Hanoi city have discovered and arrested many cases of trading in food of unknown origin.

According to the People's Police Online newspaper, on January 12 alone, Market Management Team No. 2 discovered and handled 3 cases of smuggling food. The seized evidence included 23kg of dried fruit, 100kg of dried apricots, and 70kg of tofu skin... of various kinds.

In the South, the issue of food hygiene and safety is also heating up. According to the Hanoi Moi newspaper, near the Lunar New Year, dirty food from everywhere... is massively "gathering" in Ho Chi Minh City. At this time, every day, authorities discover hundreds of shipments of dirty food or food of unknown origin.

In just the past week, the Thu Duc Animal Quarantine Station in Ho Chi Minh City has discovered, seized and destroyed 18,767 kg of buffalo and cow by-products; 700 kg of pig by-products, 700 kg of pork and many poultry of unknown origin; many of which contained meat and by-products that gave off a foul odor.

Also during this time, the District 9 Veterinary Station in Ho Chi Minh City seized a shipment of 165 stinking suckling pigs while the truck owner tried to avoid the quarantine station; the District 12 Veterinary Station also discovered nearly 300kg of dirty pork fat, 14,000 eggs, and more than 100kg of veal of unknown origin being transported in the area.

In addition to dirty food of unknown origin, recently a large amount of beef and pork injected with water to increase weight has been smuggled into Ho Chi Minh City. Recently, the Tan Binh District Veterinary Station discovered more than 2 tons of water-injected beef imported from Long An.

Also related to the issue of dirty food, on January 16, Department 6 of the Environmental Crime Prevention and Control Police Department - Southern Agency (C49B, Ministry of Public Security) and the Market Management Agency of Ho Chi Minh City, issued a decision to suspend the production and trading of fresh bamboo shoots for 3 establishments in Tan Thoi Nhat Ward, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, to continue to clarify the act of "poisoning" consumers.

During the monitoring process many days before, the police discovered 3 establishments producing and trading fresh bamboo shoots on National Highway 1A, showing signs of using chemicals not permitted for use in food to soak the bamboo shoots.

The owner of the facility confessed that for every 200 liters of water used to soak 100 kg of bamboo shoots, she mixed in a teaspoon of chemicals. Bamboo shoots soaked in this solution for about 12 hours can be preserved for 2 years. Working with the police, the owners of the facilities confessed that they bought bamboo shoots from Lam Dong for 8,000 VND/kg, brought them back to process, soaked them in chemicals and sold them on the market for 12,000 VND/kg.

Tips for choosing clean food for Tet

The continuous discovery of dirty goods of unknown origin by the authorities has caused people to feel confused. Especially during this time near Lunar New Year, the shopping and consumption needs of many people have increased. The question for many consumers is how to check the quality of products when shopping, to avoid buying fake and poor quality goods that are flooding the market?

How to choose safe food (Illustration)

Here are some tips for women to choose safe, quality food:

Chicken, duck, goose meat

For ready-made meat, choose the type with natural color (from ivory to bright yellow), bright eyes. Skin is tight, intact, without stains, bruises, mold or strange marks. Spoiled poultry meat is dark yellow, purple yellow or dark yellow, eyes are cloudy, closed.

Pork

Choose meat with a dry outer membrane, bright red or dark red, shiny, the cut has a normal color, bright, dry. Avoid meat with a slightly pale green or slightly dark color, even black, not shiny, the outer membrane is slimy. Fresh, delicious meat must be firm, highly elastic, when pressing your finger into the meat, it does not leave a dent when you remove your finger and is not sticky.

Choose cooked food

With processed meat (such as roast meat), you must be careful, only buy from establishments with clear origins and guaranteed hygiene. For roast pork and roast duck, choose meat with a characteristic aroma, firm, dry meat fibers that stick to the skin, the meat is still hot and hung in a glass cabinet.

Canned food

Choose the type 2 can lid is concave, knock on it makes a sharp sound. If the lid is bulging, knock on it makes a thumping sound, the canned food is spoiled. In addition, people can check by dipping the can into a basin of water at 70-80 degrees Celsius, press down with your hand to see if air bubbles appear, if not, the food is spoiled.

Choose fish, seafood

For fish and seafood, it is best to buy live fish and shrimp that are still swimming in water. Fresh fish have tightly closed mouths. The fish body is firm and elastic, leaving no fingerprints on the fish meat. The fish scales are shiny, tightly attached to the fish body, without mucus or unpleasant odors. The gills are pinkish red, not slimy or smelly. The fish's body is deeply retracted, pale white in color, and the fish's belly is flat.

Vegetables and fruits

Do not buy vegetables that are wilted, crushed or have unusual signs such as being "too fat", "too puffy" or having small dust particles stuck to them. When using, pick the leaves and stems separately, soak them in clean water for 15-20 minutes, then rinse 2-3 times under running water or in a full basin of water. If it is fruit, peel it and discard any bruised or crushed fruit.

According to Health and Life