3 HCMC food producers found soaking banana blossoms in bleach, borax

The Economic Police Department (PC03) Sunday filed cases against the three facilities in the Ben Luc residential area in Binh Dong Ward, erstwhile District 8, for using toxic chemicals in food.

The chemicals make them look whiter, taste crisper and last longer.

Banana blossoms are soaked in a chemical tank in HCMC's Binh Dong Ward. Photo by police

They had simultaneously raided the three facilities and found large quantities of shredded banana blossoms soaking in 200-liter plastic barrels filled with unlabeled white-colored solutions.

At one company with multiple employees they found 60 kg of blossoms soaking in containers filled with a mixture of sodium metabisulfite, alum and borax.

One facility owner said the business was unregistered and he did not have a food safety certificate.

He bought around 500 kg of banana blossoms daily for VND8,000 each and soaked them repeatedly in chemical solutions.

After the dunking, he collected 200 kg and sold them to wholesale markets at VND20,000–30,000 per kilogram.

An official inspect the chemicals as seized by police. Photo by police

He bought the chemicals from shops in Cho Lon Ward, formerly District 5.

The police seized over 115 kg of contaminated blossoms and dozens of kilograms of powdered and granular chemicals from the three facilities.

Banana blossoms are used in many Vietnamese dishes to enhance flavor and texture.

In Vietnam, the use of borax is banned in food production and processing as it is a toxic chemical that can harm long-term health and potentially lead to cognitive decline.

But some unscrupulous producers continue to use it in foods.

Beyond permitted levels, sodium metabisulfite could cause symptoms ranging from mild (stomach pain, diarrhea, allergic reactions) to severe (breathing difficulties, bronchial spasms, liver and kidney damage, and even death).