4 arrested for tainting 3,500 tons of bean sprouts with potentially deadly chemical in Vietnam

The suspects, identified as Luu Manh Huong, 32; Luu Van Trung, 28; Tran Khac Duy, 35; and Nguyen Van Huong, 27, own several beansprout-producing facilities in Nghe An's capital city Vinh, police said.

In a raid conducted on April 11, police confiscated around 25 tons of chemically-treated beansprouts stored in plastic containers, along with 25 liters of pure benzyl adenine (6-BAP). Investigators found that 150 liters of the banned chemical had already been processed to treat beansprouts prior to the raid.

Benzyl adenine is a prohibited growth-stimulating chemical known to cause serious health issues, including pulmonary fibrosis, and potentially death if consumed in large quantities.

The suspects admitted using the chemical to enhance the appearance and size of the beansprouts, making them more marketable.

An investigation into the full scale of the operation is ongoing, authorities said.