Fake functional foods threaten consumers' health

“Prey” of fake functional foods

Recently, the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Agency has dismantled a ring of counterfeit dietary supplements and seized more than 100 tons of products. According to the investigation results, since 2016, Nguyen Nang Manh (Director of MegaPhaco Company, Chairman of the Board of Directors of MediUSA Company) and his accomplices have established and operated many companies to legalize the production and trade of counterfeit dietary supplements, from the stages of importing raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, and consumption.

With the cover of “imported from the US, Europe”, and anti-counterfeit stamps, in reality, the raw materials are mainly imported from China or bought illegally on the market. In terms of quality, many components only reach less than 30% of the declared quality.

At the investigation agency, the subjects confessed that the method of consumption was to directly meet with pharmaceutical representatives, pharmacies in the provinces, and pharmaceutical distribution companies in the provinces to offer and introduce products.

Investigation results show that 5 officials of the Food Safety Department (FSD), Ministry of Health, accepted bribes to allow counterfeit products to enter the market. The subjects spent money on “lobbying” for appraisal, post-inspection and licensing of product declaration, and paid the inspection team to appraise 2 manufacturing plants more than 1 billion VND to reduce the number of errors. For nearly 10 years, the fake dietary supplement chain has been rampant, profiting from “prey” who are vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children.

People buy medicine and health care products at Pharmacity pharmacy chain

Previously, the investigation agency discovered that two health protection food products BABY SHARK and Medi Kid Calcium K2 for children of Herbitech Technology Company Limited were counterfeit. Some products manufactured by this company also appeared openly in large drugstore systems, causing concern among consumers.

On May 13, a representative of Pharmacity Pharmacy confirmed that they had recalled 4 products manufactured by Herbitech Company, including: PMC Hoat Huyet, PMC Gingko Biloba, PMC Joint Care, PMC Liver Support. The above products were registered, announced and distributed by Hoang Giang Saigon Pharmaceutical Company Limited.

Easy in production, inspection, consumption

According to the Ministry of Health , from 2021 to now, the market has more than 54,549 functional food products, with 80.4% being domestically produced products from 201 manufacturing facilities. Of which, there are 29,779 health protection foods, 350 medical nutritional foods, 1,287 foods for special diets, and 23,133 dietary supplements. The Vietnam Functional Food Association stated that the domestic functional food market is growing by 15% per year and is increasing due to the need for health care.

To gain consumer trust, many companies producing dietary supplements use the words “international pharmaceuticals” or “pharmaceuticals” in their names, but in reality, dietary supplements are regulated by the Food Safety Law and related documents. In particular, health-protecting foods, medical nutritional foods, and foods for special diets must be granted a certificate of product quality standards by the Food Safety Department.

Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Khanh Phong Lan, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety, commented that Vietnam is behind the world in terms of dietary supplements but is moving too fast, so it faces many problems in the process of importing, producing, and advertising dietary supplements. This leads to the risk of fake, poor quality products infiltrating and mixing in the market.

Ms. Pham Khanh Phong Lan suggested that there should be a separate law or program on dietary supplements so that people do not confuse them with drugs; at the same time, there should be stronger measures to deal with the advertising of dietary supplements on social networks.

On May 14, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety announced that it had just discovered that GodwayPharma Company Limited (147 Bui Cong Trung, Nhi Binh Commune, Hoc Mon District) had used expired raw materials to produce two protein powder products, with a total weight of 1,296 kg; 3,804 kg of Prozymax protein powder with natural chocolate flavor had expired and were in stock.

Immediately afterwards, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee issued a decision to administratively fine GodwayPharma Company Limited VND 2.9 billion and force it to destroy all violating raw materials and food.

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Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/thuc-pham-chuc-nang-gia-de-doa-suc-khoe-nguoi-tieu-dung-post795284.html