Risk of food poisoning from triangular rice balls

Recently, triangular rice balls at elementary school gates have been loved by many students because they are unique and easy to eat. Triangular rice balls are mixed with many spices, vegetables, dried shrimp, sausages, seaweed, etc., so they can easily spoil if not preserved properly, especially in hot weather conditions like today. In fact, in early April 2025, in Nghe An province, there was an incident of 12 students being poisoned by eating rice balls, so people need to be careful when buying this street food for their children.

"Hot trend" food of students

Many students commented that the rice balls were delicious and unique, and were packaged in plastic bags with funny stickers, so they were loved by the students and bought to eat in the morning. Each small rice ball cost 5,000 VND, very affordable for people, so it was consumed a lot in front of the elementary school gate.

Rice balls are seasoned with many kinds of spices and vegetables such as carrots, sweet corn, pork floss, sausages, seaweed (chopped)... to create eye-catching colors. In Vinh Yen city, in the morning and afternoon, at the gates of elementary schools, there are many stalls selling rice balls to students. Each student is given money by their parents to buy 1-2 rice balls. Hundreds of rice balls are kept in thermal boxes by vendors and quickly sold out before class or after each afternoon school.

Triangular rice balls are sold at many elementary school gates.

When it first appeared on the market, the triangular rice ball dish "stormed" the school gates when it overshadowed traditional dishes such as sticky rice, bread, and dumplings. This dish even became a trend among students when many students who had not yet eaten it insisted on their parents buying it for them to enjoy.

On April 14, on her personal Facebook page, a parent posted a warning about the triangular rice balls in front of the school gate causing food poisoning to her relatives. Specifically, Ms. L.Th wrote: “Mothers in the Tien Phong area ( Hanoi ) pay attention. My nephew is in middle school, came home from school at noon and was so hungry that he bought rice balls at the school gate to eat and “vomited and had diarrhea” and is currently in the hospital. Mothers, please remind your child that when he comes home at noon, his body is hungry and tired, and he is susceptible to reactions to unsafe food…”.

Previously, on April 9, in Nghe An province, 12 primary school students in Do Luong town showed signs of stomachache and vomiting after eating rice balls in front of the school gate.

Triangular rice balls are popular with elementary school students because of the unique seaweed flavor.

Immediately after the discovery, the school notified the parents and took the children to the Do Luong Town Health Station for examination and treatment. After receiving IV fluids and medical monitoring, by the evening of the same day, the children's health had stabilized and they were sent home.

Initial verification shows that before experiencing stomachaches and nausea, the 12 students had eaten rice balls containing rice, eggs, carrots, and seaweed. In response to this incident, Do Luong Town Primary School has requested local authorities to inspect and regulate sidewalk sales activities around the school area to ensure food safety and prevent the risk of similar incidents.

Potential risk factors for food poisoning

In fact, although rice balls are convenient to use, if not properly preserved, they can easily spoil in hot weather like today. Especially when rice balls are made from early morning until sold out in the afternoon, the dish is mixed with many spices such as roasted sesame, soy sauce, mayonnaise and vegetables, tubers, and fruits, so they can easily spoil in the summer.

In the face of food poisoning incidents caused by rice balls, parents should consider carefully when buying unsafe food for their children at the school gate. If buying, they should choose reputable sellers, only buy early in the morning, when the rice balls are newly made and still warm. Do not buy at noon or in the afternoon because the food can easily spoil due to being left for a long time under high temperatures and not being properly preserved. Especially in the context of fast food stores at school gates today, most of them do not have professional preservation equipment; food preservation is not given due attention by retailers, while the amount of rice balls consumed is large.

Currently, the weather is entering the hot summer season, schools and localities need to coordinate with parents to increase propaganda, remind students not to arbitrarily buy unsafe food outside the school gate. At the same time, encourage families to prepare breakfast for their children at home to prevent food poisoning incidents.

With the theme "Ensuring food safety, focusing on food safety in collective kitchens, catering services and street food", in this year's peak month for food safety, all levels and functional branches in the province have developed plans and synchronously deployed measures to prevent and combat crimes and violations of food safety laws; strengthened inspection, supervision and strict handling of food safety violations, ensuring consumer rights and protecting people's health.

Many students got food poisoning from rice balls at the school gate.

The inspection subjects this time are small food production and trading establishments, street food establishments; establishments providing ready-to-eat meals, collective kitchens in industrial parks, schools, hospitals...

With the participation of local authorities and functional agencies, people need to raise awareness and choose safe food for their relatives and families. When everyone works together, safe food will no longer be a slogan but will be present in every family's daily meals.

Article and photos: Ha Tran

Source: http://baovinhphuc.com.vn/Multimedia/Images/Id/127163/Nguy-co-ngo-doc-thuc-pham-tu-mon-com-nam-tam-giac