Opinions surrounding the article "Matrix" of pure water and ice

(Baonghean.vn) - After the article “Matrix” of purified water and ice was published in the Nghe An newspaper on May 11, 2015, we received many comments and feedback from readers and authorities. Below are some comments recorded by the reporter.

Mr. Vo Quang Lan - Head of Processing Department - Nghe An Market Management Department:

After Nghe An Newspaper published information about the production of bottled purified water and ice that did not meet quality standards, the Market Management Agency directed the Market Management Team in charge of the area to coordinate with the Food Safety Department and local authorities to strengthen market inspections and beverage businesses, especially during the Food Safety Month. We will issue a document directing all teams in the province to strengthen market inspections and control and pay attention to beverage products. If there are any doubts about the quality, we will coordinate with the Food Safety Department to inspect and handle.

We thank Nghe An newspaper for promptly informing the authorities about the shortcomings in the production of purified water and ice. In 2014, also from the press information about the unsanitary bottled water production facility in Nghi Phuong Nghi Loc, we went to inspect and found that this facility had stopped production.

Through this, we also recommend that consumers should not buy bottled water of unknown origin, without proper product labels, and when there is doubt about the quality or origin, promptly report to forces such as Market Management, police, Food Safety Department, and local authorities for inspection and handling.

MSc. Dr. Que Anh Tram - Head of Tropical Diseases Department - Provincial General Hospital:

Summer is the time when digestive diseases such as hepatitis, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, Ecoli, etc. are likely to occur. In particular, epidemics such as cholera can occur. It is now the beginning of summer, there have been no cases of typhoid infection, but last year, our department discovered 15 cases of typhoid infection. This is a disease caused by infection with Salmonella typhi bacteria. People get sick from eating and drinking contaminated food and water, threatening human life.

Currently, it is the hot season, the demand for drinking water, bottled water, ice... is very high. On average, each person needs 1.5 - 2.5 liters of clean water to drink per day, those who do heavy work or in hot conditions have a higher demand. In the market, soft drinks, purified water, ice "blooms"; there are many sources of water for bottling and making ice, but ensuring safety is a problem. The preservation and transportation process is not in accordance with the procedure, while water in general and ice in particular are intermediate environments for disease transmission, favorable for bacteria to live and spread epidemics, can bring toxic substances and disease-causing bacteria into the body when the water is not clean. Therefore, to maintain health, we need to eat hygienically, avoid diseases transmitted through the digestive tract.

Ms. Phuong Thanh Thanh - sugarcane juice business in Town - Yen Thanh:

I have been selling sugarcane juice in block 2 of Yen Thanh town for 5 years now. Sugarcane juice is one of the most popular drinks for all ages in the hot season because of its effective thirst-quenching effect, quick preparation, and reasonable price. I often get pure ice from Tuan Thuy facility in block II of Yen Thanh town. At first, I discovered that the sugarcane juice mixed with ice from this facility had a strong fishy smell and reported it to the owner. In fact, we only know how to get ice to sell with sugarcane juice, but we do not know whether the facility is licensed by the authorities or not and how good or bad the quality of the ice is. I always want to have pure ice products that ensure food hygiene so that customers can feel secure when drinking sugarcane juice. Therefore, the authorities need to have a solution to quickly rectify ice production facilities, need to announce unlicensed production facilities, or take samples for testing so that we can also know to prevent fraudulent production facilities.

Mr. Le Viet Hung - Reporter of Quynh Luu Radio and Television Station:

After reading the article "Matrix" of purified water and ice published in Nghe An newspaper on May 11, 2015, I was very indignant at the current situation of some bottled water and ice production facilities in Nghe An province that did not comply with the process of producing unsanitary drinking water, threatening the health of the people. I welcome the reporter of Nghe An newspaper to get involved and promptly reflect to help people be more vigilant in the process of buying and using. Quynh Luu is a large area with a large population, so the demand for drinking water in the summer is very high. However, in the district, there is currently only 1 facility producing bottled purified water in Tien Thuy commune with the brand name Lach Quek, directed by Mr. Dinh Trung Thuc. This purified bottled water production facility has been licensed and registered for copyright; has a modern machinery system, the clean water production process is carried out through 6 steps before reaching the hands of consumers.

In Quynh Luu district, there are still many shops selling purified bottled water. These shops will contact water production facilities in other places to buy, then provide phone numbers or distribute leaflets to let people know to buy when needed, but it is not clear which facilities the agents buy water from and whether the water is guaranteed to follow the correct production process. Besides bottled water, some ice production facilities in the district are showing signs of violating the production process. Water to make ice can be well water, even river water, and using tap water that meets standards to produce ice is still very rare.

Reading the above article, I am really concerned about the illegal profiteering of some pure bottled water production facilities today. With the trick of counterfeiting stamps, labels, and unsafe water production processes, many bottled water products have been released to the market, and the ones who suffer the consequences are the consumers. Therefore, to help people feel secure in buying and using clean water and clean ice during the summer, the authorities need to quickly inspect the water source during the production process at the facilities and strictly handle the violating facilities.

Thu Huyen - Van Truong