Fine of nearly 400 million VND for violating functional food business

In November, the Food Safety Department (Ministry of Health) imposed administrative penalties on 22 companies for food safety violations with a total fine of VND385 million.

Also this month, authorities temporarily suspended the circulation of three batches of functional food products of a company and five companies were fined from 20 to 65 million VND.

Illustration photo.

Specifically, ON PLAZA Viet Phap Company Limited advertised the Earthrise Spirulina Natural functional food product on the website trungthaosamnhung.com with misleading content that it had the same effect as a medicine and was fined 65 million VND.

Nam Duoc Joint Stock Company advertised two functional food products, Ich Nhi Cough-Cold Syrup and Ich Nhi Appetite Syrup, on the website ichnhi.vn with content inconsistent with the content confirmed by the Food Safety Department and was fined 20 million VND.

Thien Khanh Pharmaceutical Company Limited advertised two functional food products, Thien Khanh Collagen and Lactation-boosting Rice on the website thienkhanhpharma.com, with content inconsistent with the content confirmed by the Food Safety Department and was fined 20 million VND.

Thien Binh Herbal Joint Stock Company advertised the functional food product Vasonew Capsules on the website vaso.vn with content inconsistent with the content confirmed by the competent authority and was fined 25 million VND.

Minh Bang Vietnam Medical Equipment Import Export Company Limited advertised the health protection food product Uy Manh Nang on the website uymanhnang.com with content inconsistent with the content confirmed by the Food Safety Department and was fined 30 million VND.

Accordingly, from the beginning of the year to the end of November, the Food Safety Department has issued decisions to fine 238 functional food trading companies for violating food safety regulations with a total fine of nearly 4.3 billion VND. Of which, 201 companies violating advertising regulations were fined over 3.3 billion VND; 30 certificates of conformity to food safety regulations were revoked, 7 certificates of advertising content were revoked, 60 batches of products were temporarily suspended from circulation, 3 products were recalled and 230 kg of products violating quality were destroyed, and 15 cases were transferred to other competent authorities for handling.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong, Director of the Department of Food Safety, said that the Department will continue to strengthen inspections and examinations of establishments producing, trading, importing, and advertising functional foods, strictly handle violators, and publicly announce violators on mass media according to regulations.

According to Chinhphu.vn