Regarding suspicions of "toxic" disposable chopsticks, Vietnamese enterprises affirm they do not use prohibited chemicals. Many Vietnamese companies stated this is the first time they have heard of hydrogen peroxide being used in production.
Speaking with Tuoi Tre on January 11, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong, Director of the Vietnam Food Administration (VFA) under the Ministry of Health, stated that after receiving information from the Food and Drug Administration of Taiwan regarding the discovery of mold inhibitors and bleaching agents in disposable chopsticks imported from several Vietnamese companies—which could affect health if used frequently—the VFA requested Taiwan to provide specific names of the exporters involved.
However, since the Taiwanese authorities only provided names in phonetic transcription, the VFA has not yet been able to identify the exact companies or their addresses to conduct inspections.
According to Mr. Phong, following the report, the National Institute for Food Control collected 10 samples of disposable chopsticks from the market to test for the two substances flagged by Taiwan: biphenyl and hydrogen peroxide (cleaning and bleaching agents). All results came back negative for both substances.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tran Quoc Manh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Saigon Development and Construction Joint Stock Company (SADACO)—one of the largest manufacturers of chopsticks for both domestic and export markets—said he "heard of hydrogen peroxide for the first time" and affirmed that "Vietnamese chopstick manufacturers do not use this substance in the production process."
Mr. Manh added that Vietnamese authorities need to clarify whether the chopsticks found with hydrogen peroxide in Taiwan were truly produced by Vietnamese enterprises. He noted that Vietnamese disposable chopsticks are currently exported to many high-standard markets with rigorous international safety inspections, such as the US, Europe, and Japan.
"To treat chopsticks against termites and mold, all enterprises follow standard international procedures. If they didn't meet these standards, it would be impossible to export to those countries," Mr. Manh emphasized.
Mr. Vo Hoang Anh, Marketing Director of Saigon Co.op, also confirmed that the disposable bamboo chopsticks sold within their system are sourced exclusively from SADACO, ensuring consumer safety. He noted that the raw materials are primarily domestic rather than imported from China.
By Lan Anh - T.V.N / Tuoi Tre
