Although new publication of Sac Ky Hai Dang Center (according to Ho Chi Minh City Union of Science and Technology Association ) showed that in August, the amount of fresh rice vermicelli sample which contains tinopal and prohibited chemicals decreased compared with June and July, however consumers still worried about that

Vina Acecook is leading in the market about vermicelli, rice vermicelli and pho with over 60% market share.

Recording at some supermarket like Co-op Mart, Big C and some traditional market in Ho Chi Minh City, consumers started concern much about instant vermicelli, dried vermicelli and other products whose material is from rice.

Are instant products contained prohibited chemicals?

Although there is not detailed figure after shocking publication of fresh rice vermicelli contains prohibited chemicals, the sales of instant and dried vermicelli at supermarkets whether increased or not; however, when surveying customers, the majority of them said they are ready to choose instant vermicelli, rice vermicelli, dried pho, for…assurance

In fact, there are many customers questioned that whether or not there are tionpal and prohibited chemicals in the instant food which businesses are supplying to the market. Contact with Vina Acecook’s representative, a representative of Acecook Vietnam said that in recent days, Vina Acecook’s customer support hotlines constantly received questions from customers about the company’s instant noodles use Tinopal, Oxidic Acid, Sodium Sulphite and Sodium Benzoate… Mr. Le Van Hung – Marketing Manager of Vina Acecook said “All products of Vina Acecook, including Xua va Nay instant Pho, De Nhat Pho, Hang Nga instant vermicelli with the flavour of pig, salted fish, Hue-style beef vermicelli soup, Nhip Song rice vermicelli with flavour of pig, beef, Nam Vang…and also including products made from green bean like Phu Huong Vernicelli do not contain tinopal. “Vina Acecook, with the production process based on Japanese advanced technology, with strictly standards of food hygiene and safety, ensure ISO, HACCP, IFS, BRC standard…Specially, Vina Acecook’s product was exported to more than 40 countries in the world, and was under strictly standards of food hygine and safety of developed countries in the world; hence it was definitely sure that there are not prohibited chemicals.

According to statistics of market research Company, Vina Acecook is leading the market in vermicelli, rice noodle and Pho with exceeded 60% proportion of products. If calculating in the instant noodle market in general, currently Vina Acecook is a “giant”, accounting for more than 50% of the market share in the whole country.

Need intervention from appropriate authority

Anyway, except Vina Acecook, there are many businesses exploiting instant food industry with low-price instant rice vermicelli and Pho in order to supply to the rural area and remote area. Especially, in Ho Chi Minh City, there were many dried rice vermicelli packs without origin and label, mainly sell in markets and grocery stores. Business produced these kinds of product was unknown brand name, were not the “target” of appropriate authorities; however, the supply to the market was not a small amount; because the demand for instant product in this market was very high. A representative of a business said that “Take a walk around market, we can see this product’s price is very cheap”

Discussing more about this point, Mr. Le Van Hung said that he could not “speak” for other businesses, at Vina Acecook, the company always comply with strictly regulations on the selection of materials from wheat flour to rice The problem is that except Vina Acecook, how was concerning about the rights and food safety for consumers in the “tinopal era” in other companies?

Previously, Enternews mentioned the possibility of rice, noodle product’s explosion since the market of instant noodles in general was booming with 5.1 billion packs in 2012, ranking fourth in the world. And therefore, it was likely to increase slowly even did not reach the equilibrium point. “Eating rice” through instant product, processed products, value added after processing rice has become more and more popular in the world. The opportunity for rice instant noodle was very near. Whether or not appropriate authorities was willing with businesses to catch this opportunity, ensure customer’s belief in the domestic market?