Producers admit to chasing profits with toxic bean sprouts

Police in Dak Lak Province on Sunday released statements from Lam Van Dao, 34; Vu Duy Tu, 33; Nguyen Van Quynh, 51; and Nguyen Van Hao, 36, admitting to using 6-Benzylaminopurine and knowing about the severe risk it poses to human health.

Dao owns Lam Dao Trading Co., Ltd., which has two facilities that produced several tons of bean sprouts soaked in the banned substance.

Bach Hoa Xanh, a major food and foodstuff retailer in the central and southern regions, bought approximately 300 kilograms daily from the company, the police concluded following an inspection last week.

Lam Van Dao at a police station in Dak Lak Province. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Oanh

Dao told the police that he had learned from various sources how to adulterate bean sprouts to reduce their roots, make their shoots plumper and give them a more attractive appearance.

He had signed a contract to supply Bach Hoa Xanh in May, and his company’s packaging bore a label with a two-day expiry date and a warning against consuming spoiled products.

Dao told the police: "Because of market competition, I had to use ‘syrup water’ [6-Benzylaminopurine]. If the whole market was clean, I would also produce clean bean sprouts."

The owner of another bean sprout production facility with two sites, Vu Duy Tu, admitted to both learning the adulteration method from Dao.

He typically purchased the toxic substance and produced 2.2 tons of the sprouts daily, which he then sold to traders across Dak Lak Province.

Vu Duy Tu at a police station in Dak Lak Province. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Oanh

He acknowledged that the banned substance could harm people’s health over time but justified his crime by saying: "Traders at the market only want good-looking products, so we had to do it."

But he also expressed remorse, saying: "I know my actions are wrong. I hope the law will show leniency so that I have the chance to rebuild my life."

After surveiling social media, the police suspected adulteration by two online communities Southern Bean Sprout Association and Bean Sprout Makers Association, and raided six production facilities across the province.

They found that, in addition to usual ingredients like mung beans, lime powder and well water, the suspects used a colorless liquid containing 6-Benzylaminopurine.

This substance, which is banned in food processing by the Ministry of Health, poses severe health risks, including potential harm to fetal development such as low birth weight, hydrocephalus and congenital malformations.

Ingesting large amounts can even result in death.

 

 

Producers admit to chasing profits with toxic bean sprouts

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The police have seized 20.35 tons of bean sprouts soaked in 6-Benzylaminopurine valued at approximately VND400 million (US$15,700) and 135 liters of the substance, enough for an estimated 675 tons of the sprouts, worth VND18.7 million.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that Dao and Tu sold around 2,900 tons of contaminated sprouts in 2024, averaging 8–10 tons per day.