HCMC bakery shut down after banh mi food poisoning sickens over 100

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, 36 additional patients were admitted compared with the previous day, bringing the total number of cases linked to the incident to 102 over the past five days. This marks the second mass food-poisoning case linked to banh mi in the city in just over a month.

The bakery, Ngoc Ha, is in Phu My Ward, formerly part of Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province, which is now administratively linked to Ho Chi Minh City and lies more than 100 kilometers from the city center.

Six medical facilities have received patients, with the largest number treated at Ba Ria General Hospital. Others were admitted to local medical centers and private clinics across the area. All patients reported eating banh mi from Ngoc Ha bakery starting on Dec. 19 before developing symptoms including severe abdominal cramps, diarrhea and mild fever. Doctors said the symptoms were consistent with gastrointestinal food poisoning.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 61 patients remained hospitalized, mainly at Ba Ria General Hospital and Phu My Medical Center, while the rest were being monitored at home. Health officials said all patients are in stable condition and no severe complications have been recorded.

Authorities are now working with food safety agencies to investigate the source of the outbreak. Test results from patient samples have not yet been released.

Initial inspections found that Ngoc Ha bakery operated two outlets and sold around 800 banh mi per day. However, inspectors said the business lacked food safety certification, had no records of food safety training or health checks for staff and used ingredients without clear origins or purchase documentation. Both outlets have since been shut down.

The case comes amid a string of banh mi–related food poisoning incidents. In early November, more than 300 people in Ho Chi Minh City fell ill after eating banh mi from another bakery, with the cause traced to Salmonella contamination. Earlier this month, more than 200 people in Quang Ngai Province in central Vietnam were also hospitalized after consuming banh mi contaminated with the same bacteria.

Salmonella is a common cause of food poisoning and can spread through improperly handled food or contaminated hands and utensils, health officials warned.