Vietnam suspends banh mi shop for four months after 97 fall ill from Salmonella

On Jan. 7, the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee fined Tu Nguyen Binh, owner of the Bibone cold-cut banh mi shop, VND92 million (US$3,700) and ordered a four-month suspension of all food preparation and sales.

Authorities said the owner must also cover the full cost of handling the incident, including medical examination and treatment for affected customers.

The shop will be barred from food processing, business, and supply activities during the suspension period. The Lam Dong Department of Health has been tasked with monitoring corrective measures and ensuring compliance with food safety regulations.

Between Dec. 13 and Dec. 18, 2025, hospitals in the central province treated 97 suspected food poisoning cases. Patients reported symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea and nausea, and all said they had eaten cold-cut banh mi from the Bibone shop before falling ill.

Laboratory tests by the Pasteur Institute Nha Trang detected Salmonella spp. bacteria in fermented pork roll and char siu pork samples from the shop, which authorities identified as the primary cause of the outbreak.