The Economic Police Department (Da Nang City Police) has just discovered and dismantled a large-scale fake food vinegar production facility in the area.
The subjects used a horror formula: Using industrial acetic acid in diluted with well water at a ratio of 2 liters of acid/100 liters of water to create fake vinegar. This sophisticated counterfeit production method has directly threatened the health of consumers.
Regarding the incident, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh (Institute of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology) said: "Natureal acetic acid used in food has many health benefits. However, industrial acetic acid is not used in food. If vinegar is produced from mixing water with industrial acetic acid, it will harm the health of users".
According to this expert's analysis, vinegar is a sour liquid, formed from fermentation (rice vinegar made from rice wine or sticky rice wine, grape vinegar made from grapes...), the main ingredients are acetic acid and water. If vinegar is naturally fermented, acetic acid only accounts for a small percentage of the vinegar (from 3 to 5%), making it sour.
"However, in this case, if industrial- synthesized acetic acid is used to make vinegar, consumers will not be able to guarantee whether the acetic acid is refined or not (if not refined, it will be toxic), and it is very likely that in addition to the main ingredient, acetic acid, there may be other accompanying impurities, which will have a negative impact on health," said Associate Professor, Dr. Thinh.
According to the analysis of a food technology expert, depending on the concentration of industrial acetic acid mixed, vinegar made from industrial acetic acid can damage the stomach, causing the stomach to erode. Industrial acetic acid Vinegar can kill digestive enzymes, causing the body's pH to decrease...
Thus, if using mixed acids as fake vinegar that do not have the nutrients for the body, the user is also at high risk of death if the person mixing it is negligent or does not have a knowledge of chemical knowledge.
Through this incident, many experts also warn people to be careful in choosing foods, including vinegar eaten daily. Using vinegar made from industrial acids can erode the stomach, causing neurotoxine, cancer, and even death if the acid concentration exceeds the permitted threshold.
Previously, as Lao Dong reported, on September 12, the Economic Police Department of Da Nang City Police issued a decision to prosecute the case and prosecute the accused to investigate the act of " Producing and trading counterfeit goods such as food and provisions".
According to the initial investigation, the Vinh rapids production facility in Da Nang was owned by Kieu Van Thanh (born in 1980) and Bui Song Hau (born in 1983). Instead of producing rice vinegar by traditional fermentation methods, the subjects used a horrifying formula: Using industrial acetic acid diluted with well water at a ratio of 2 liters of acid/100 liters of water to create fake vinegar.
With this trick, Thanh and Hau's facility launches more than 1,000 liters of "super dirty" vinegar onto the market every day.
At the scene, the authorities seized more than 2,000 bottles of finished fake vinegar (about 2,000 liters) and 20 cans of pure acetic acid (about 600 liters).
According to the police, if not detected in time, this acid can be used to "transform" into about 30,000 liters of toxic vinegar, causing unpredictable consequences for consumers.
