The truth about "Tam Duc Black Garlic" - Final part: Violations of the law!

(Baonghean) - Reporters from Baonghean Newspaper visited the so-called "raw material area" of Tam Duc Garlic Enterprise, met with the business owner; worked with functional agencies of Thanh Chuong district and the Food Safety and Hygiene Management Sub-department; and confirmed that the production and trading of black garlic by the private enterprise Tam Duc Garlic is illegal...

No garlic growing areas!

We went to Hamlet 7, Thanh Tien Commune (Thanh Chuong District) to find a resident named Vinh mentioned in the series of "reports" about the garlic planting project of Tam Duc Garlic Company. However, there was no one with that name in this residential area. Many residents said they did grow garlic, but they had been doing so for "many years," each family only planting "a few square meters for personal use," and occasionally, if someone had leftovers, they would bundle them up and sell them at Giang Market, but no company had ever inquired about buying them. Regarding the name Tam Duc Garlic Private Enterprise, the residents also said: "I've never heard of it!"

Despite its rudimentary, handcrafted production methods, the private enterprise Tam Duc Garlic claims on its website that it has installed modern Japanese machinery and equipment (?).

Upon meeting with representatives of the Hamlet 7 Party Committee, Hamlet Head Nguyen Van Hoang and Party Secretary Dam Huy Ly expressed surprise upon learning of the existence of the private enterprise Tam Duc Garlic in their commune. Mr. Nguyen Van Hoang stated, “This is the first time I’ve heard of this enterprise. I know nothing about Tam Duc Garlic, but I’m certain no one in Hamlet 7 grows garlic for them, and there’s no resident in Hamlet 7 named Vinh.” According to him, the hamlet has 122 households, primarily engaged in farming, livestock raising, and supplementary occupations such as making cakes and candies; the people's lives are still difficult, and they desperately need stable employment. Therefore, if an enterprise were to create job opportunities, the commune government would certainly publicize it to all officials and residents. Thus, according to both Mr. Nguyen Van Hoang and Mr. Dam Huy Ly, this could be a false rumor spread for some ulterior motive. When we showed them the package of Tam Duc black garlic we had bought in Vinh City, they continued to insist that this was the first time they had seen it, and requested that the origin and quality of this product be clarified and publicized in the media so that people would not be deceived.

Upon arriving at Hamlet 11, Thanh Tien Commune, the residents confirmed that no one grows garlic commercially. Meeting with the hamlet head, who initially refused to cooperate, citing the need for a commune introduction, he did confirm the existence of a garlic processing facility called Tam Duc in the hamlet. The head of Hamlet 11 stated: "There is a Tam Duc facility here that processes garlic. They are residents of the hamlet, producing it at their private residence near the hamlet's cultural center. That's all I know because I don't visit very often. As for saying that the people here grow garlic commercially, that's not true..."

No processing technology!?

Following the directions of the village head of Hamlet 11, we found the location of the Tam Duc private enterprise. It was a middle-class household. Inside, we didn't see any equipment or machinery, only a few dozen fairly large plastic trays, on which lay numerous dark-colored single-clove garlic bulbs, many of them charred (apparently due to the steaming and drying process). Explaining the reason for our visit, a young man introduced himself as Le Ngoc Thi, the director of the Tam Duc Garlic private enterprise. According to Thi, this is a booming business; he spent two years experimenting and has now succeeded in bringing black garlic to market. The garlic is initially white, but after a six-month fermentation process, it becomes black garlic.

We asked:

- Where does the company import its machinery from? What are the steps involved in the production process? Could you provide us with some more information?

Le Ngoc Thi replied:

- The machinery and equipment used to make black garlic must be imported from South Korea. The process is extremely complex and cannot be explained in detail.

- Does the company have a website for Tam Duc Black Garlic?

That's right!

- We've read the information there. We heard that the black garlic production process is Japanese, so why is our company buying machinery from South Korea?

- The machine is made in Korea, but the manufacturing technique is Japanese.

- Can we tour the machinery and equipment?

No, we can't. We're in the middle of the fermentation process; opening it now would ruin everything.

- We just wanted to see the device in person, that's all.

- That won't work either. Besides, the machinery isn't located here!

Continuing to ask Le Ngoc Thi to show relevant documents, he could only produce a Business Registration Certificate, a Sample Test Result Form, and a Certificate of Food Safety Knowledge. Thi admitted that he had not yet received any product quality certifications from the competent authority, the Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health), and said he was in the process of completing the necessary procedures. - Where do the raw materials for making black garlic come from? Contrary to what is stated on the website, Thi said that the raw materials are Ly Hoa garlic, priced at 350,000 VND/kg. After completion, 1 kg of black garlic costs 1,600,000 VND/kg. - So, are there any purchase documents proving that the raw materials were purchased in Ly Son? According to Thi, there are purchase documents. However, they cannot be found. He called someone to inquire, but could not find them either. He then asked: Why does the website clearly state that Tam Duc Garlic has its raw material source in Thanh Tien? Thi replied: We are conducting trials, but the results are not yet as desired...(!?).

When asked why they were shipping goods to dealers in Vinh City, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City without the necessary legal documents for production and business operations, Le Ngoc Thi explained that the company was releasing some samples to gauge market demand...

The director of Tam Duc Garlic Private Enterprise (left) introduces the processed garlic product.

"Tam Duc Black Garlic" is fake!

The head of the Thanh Chuong District Health Department, Mr. Nguyen Viet Kien, said that he had received a document from the Food Safety and Hygiene Sub-Department and was sending people to inspect the Tam Duc Garlic facility. "We only learned about this business after receiving the document from the Sub-Department. Before that, they had never been here!" Mr. Kien said. Sharing what he had heard and seen in Thanh Tien commune, and showing the Tam Duc black garlic product, Mr. Kien requested that officials prepare a document proposing that the district form a team to conduct an inspection. "We are very pleased that the press has shared such information. We will request the district to conduct an inspection immediately."

A representative from the Food Safety and Hygiene Sub-Department stated that in November 2014, someone from Tam Duc Garlic Company approached them requesting training in food safety and hygiene. After the training, the company was granted a certificate by the Sub-Department. Some time later, the Sub-Department received a complaint from a citizen alleging that this company was producing and selling functional foods on the market. Therefore, on December 18, 2014, the Sub-Department issued Official Letter No. 132/ATTP.CNSP to the Health Department and the Health Center of Thanh Chuong District requesting an investigation into the matter.

Speaking with reporters, Mr. Dao Trong Dung, Head of the Food Safety and Hygiene Management Sub-Department, stated that prior to issuing Official Letter 132, the Sub-Department had identified violations by the Tam Duc Garlic private enterprise. Although they possessed a business registration license, they lacked a Certificate of Food Safety and Hygiene Compliance, a Declaration of Conformity with Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations, and a Certificate of Advertising Content Approval issued by the Food Safety Department. Responding to information from reporters, Mr. Dung affirmed: "Clause 10, Article 5 of the Law on Food Safety and Hygiene stipulates prohibited acts as: 'Producing and trading food at establishments without a certificate of food safety compliance as prescribed by law'; Clause 2, Article 3 of Decree No. 38 stipulates: 'Products without technical standards must be declared compliant with food safety regulations and registered with the competent State agency before being put into circulation on the market'; Clause 1, Article 3 of Circular No. 08 of the Ministry of Health stipulates prohibited acts in food advertising activities as: 'Advertising food without a certificate confirming the advertising content from the competent health agency'."

Thus, the promotion and marketing of Tam Duc Garlic products by the company violated legal regulations. The Provincial Food Safety and Hygiene Department will soon go to Thanh Chuong to coordinate with relevant agencies to clarify how many products this company has released onto the market, demand product recall, and handle the matter according to regulations. This includes recalls from distributors in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It can be confirmed that Tam Duc Garlic products are counterfeit! The activities of the private company Tam Duc Garlic are in violation of the law!

Nhat Lan - Viet Long