Fake milk, toxic prices and what else?

Fake milk, toxic prices and what else? - Photo 1.

Bigger, fatter, shorter roots and more beautiful after being soaked in chemicals - Photo: Nghe An Provincial Police

1 - People who make dirty and toxic prices are not hesitant because after four people in Dak Lak were arrested at the end of last year, recently (April 19) four more people in Nghe An were arrested for similar acts.

Thousands of barrels of bean sprouts soaked in chemicals have made many people feel sick: did they eat that toxic stuff? Another question: Why aren't the people who make toxic bean sprouts startled or afraid?

Consumers also wonder where the authorities are when the incident that happened in Dak Lak once shocked public opinion, yet no unit has checked to see if there is a similar situation in their area.

Time passed by until the police got involved. After Dak Lak, then Nghe An, and where else?

These are questions that have no answers but keep lingering because the current food safety inspection mechanism mainly deals with fait accompli - that is, dirty, toxic food has already entered the dining table and the stomachs of consumers, and cannot prevent it from happening.

People who sell toxic and dirty food just keep making money until... they get caught! Because post-inspection is like nothing.

Many people remember the words of a suspect after the toxic price gouging case in Dak Lak was exposed: "When the market is clean, I will be at ease."

That shows that the price market can still have many sources of toxic products entering the consumption chain, and evidence from the incident in Dak Lak is that they once dominated the supply chain for a large chain of stores.

Therefore, consumers are concerned that the detected cases are just the tip of the iceberg. Measures need to be taken to salvage the iceberg, so that similar cases of toxic bean sprouts do not recur.

2- Consecutive and intense, also over the past month, consumers have been continuously shocked by food: from Kera vegetable candy which was advertised as having the same amount of fiber as a plate of vegetables in one candy, to the fake milk scandal with 573 types flooding everywhere (including hospitals), and now the reappearance of toxic bean sprouts.

Poor quality food, fake food, dirty food, toxic food... take turns deceiving consumers and "tricking" authorities and are only stopped when discovered by the police.

The rampant situation of fake and toxic food not only shows loopholes in regulations, management, inspection..., but more sadly, it has the "complicitness" of a part of the community.

These are celebrities who participate in advertising to exaggerate fake vegetable candy and milk. These are officials of functional agencies who do not fulfill their responsibilities in the stages of checking food products.

And the most dangerous thing is if there is collusion, protection or profiteering by some corrupt officials.

3 - Everyone wants to be open and create favorable conditions for doing business, but this reality shows that being too open is not good.

Calling for business ethics is necessary but not enough without strict sanctions. Strict post-audits and tight management can lead to discouraging business.

This is a difficult problem that the State needs to find a harmonious solution for between all parties: producers, businesses and consumers.

But no matter what, the health and interests of consumers must come first. Let's see what the solution is?