VietNamNet Bridge – Of 120 samples of fresh rice noodles tested by the HCM City Food Safety and Hygiene Bureau, 16 samples contained banned substances such as Tinopal, oxalic acid or preservatives exceeding the permitted levels.

Mr. Huynh Le Thai Hoa, Head of the HCM City Food Safety and Hygiene Bureau, said that the bureau began collecting rice noodle samples for testing from early July. "To date, of the 120 testing results that we have received, 16 samples contained banned substances, accounting for 13.33 percent," Hoa said.

According to Hoa, most violated samples contained whitening chemical Tinopal, oxalic acid or preservatives such as sodium sulfite, sodium benzoate exceeding the permitted limits.

Since early July, at least 30 fresh rice noodles in HCM City have been fined for poor food hygiene.

Hoa also said that the bureau would continue collecting samples for testing and the results would be widely announced.

In related news, the Vietnam Food Administration has announced two food wrapping film samples randomly taken in Hanoi and HCM City are safe for customer use and do not contain bis (2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) - a poisonous plasticizer.

Meanwhile, 13 other food wrapping film samples taken in the two cities' markets were also deemed safe when they were discovered to contain DEHA below the maximum permitted level of 18mg/kg.

The administration said it would continue taking samples of food wrapping films for future tests.

The tests came after China Central Television warned in late July that plastic film used by supermarkets to wrap meat and vegetables may contain banned toxic plasticizers that could impair male sexual functions and lead to premature sexual development in females.

CCTV said 15 out of 16 samples of polyvinyl chloride plastic wrap sent for tests were found to contain bis (2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA), some at alarming levels.

Mai Lan