Fruit syrups of questionable quality are available "in season".

During the summer, fruit syrups used to make drinks are constantly sought after by shop owners. And from this, syrups that do not meet food safety and hygiene standards have the opportunity to find their way onto people's menus.

You can buy as much as you want.

Although it's only the beginning of summer, the demand for fruit syrups has increased significantly. The owner of a grocery stall in Dong Xuan Market (who wished to remain anonymous) said that since mid-April, the number of customers buying syrup has increased considerably compared to the previous month. On average, this stall owner sells dozens of liters of syrup per day.

Increased demand has led to a surge in sales of syrups, pickled fruits, jellies, and other similar products. Many stalls that previously didn't sell these items are now stocking them. These products aren't limited to Dong Xuan Market; they're also widely available on nearby streets like Cao Thang, Nguyen Thien Thuat, Hang Buom, and Hang Giay. The owner of a shop called "Gia Linh Shop" (on Hang Buom Street) stated: "Every shop on this street sells them to some extent. The difference is that some display them openly, while others keep them inside and only bring them out when customers ask, mainly for regular customers."

From what I've observed, some shops carefully place these syrup bottles on shelves made of iron or wood, but many others leave the bottles directly on the tiled floor.

The variety of fruit syrups on display is also extensive, catering to all customer needs. At a shop located at 86 Hang Buom Street, three different types of fruit syrup are available. The cheapest comes in a 2-liter plastic container and costs 50,000 VND, the second in a 600ml plastic bottle for 55,000 VND, and the third in a 750ml ceramic bottle for 150,000 VND. The shop owner confidently stated, "Orange, lemon, mint, apple, grape, strawberry syrups... we have every color and flavor imaginable. You can get as much as you want."

Potential risks

Upon observation, we noticed that the syrup containers sold at Dong Xuan Market and surrounding streets all had complete labels. However, when we examined one container closely, we found that it lacked information about the production date and expiration date. Opening one container and smelling it, the syrup's aroma was much stronger than that of homemade fruit syrups, which typically have a milder fragrance.

To "verify" the taste of the syrups, we went to Nha Xanh Market (Dich Vong, Cau Giay) to try the packets of soft drinks sold throughout the market. Each packet cost only 5,000 dong, but the taste and color were indistinguishable from real fruit juice. However, as soon as the sweetness faded on our tongues, a bitter taste appeared in our throats, and the more we smacked our lips, the more bitter it became.

Le Thi Xuan (21 years old), a friend of mine who works as a barista at a bubble tea shop on Nguyen Phong Sac Street, asserted: "This drink uses 'concentrated' syrup, not real fruit juice. Each packet costs only 5,000 VND, so how could they make a profit if they used real fruit juice?" It's not just this sugary drink; even the bubble tea sold by street vendors in the market uses cheap syrup. "Each cup of bubble tea sold by street vendors costs only 8,000 VND, while 'authentic' bubble tea costs 20,000 VND – that says it all about the quality!" Xuan added.

Currently, fruit syrups with unclear ingredients and questionable quality are still openly sold in many places. To avoid inspection by authorities, many shops hide the products inside, only supplying any quantity to regular or discerning customers.

Due to their unclear origin, quality, and lack of quality control, these syrups are highly likely to contain chemical dyes to ensure uniform and stable color. Synthetic chemical dyes are created through chemical synthesis reactions. Examples include Amaranth (red), Brilliant blue (green), Sunset yellow (orange-yellow), Tartrazine (lemon yellow), etc. If these fruit syrups contain dyes not on the list of permitted food colorings, they can be extremely harmful to consumers' health, causing acute poisoning, and long-term accumulation may lead to cancer.

According to what I read in the newspaper.