About 85 percent of Ha Noi's ice-making enterprises are unlicensed anddo not meet hygiene-and-food-safety-standards, municipal HealthDepartment figures show.
Department director LeAnh Tuan reports that only 42 of the city's 200 ice-making factorieshold the supposedly compulsory licence.
"Theremainder are mostly business households that are limited to makingblock ice for frozen food although some of it goes to beverage shops orbia hoi restaurants," the director said.
Thedirector said although regulations governing unhygienic food andbeverage was issued several years ago, violations were difficult todetect because the offenders " constantly moved their premises" to avoidinspectors.
Punishments were also too lenient – a fine of about 10-15 million VND (526-789 USD).
PhD Trinh Le Hung from the University of Natural Sciences saidwater must be drawn from about 90m deep beneath the ground and thenspecially cleaned before it is made into ice.
Unhygienic ice was extremely dangerous as bacteria and toxic chemicalscould long survive in a frozen environment, he warned.
National Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases deputy directorDr Nguyen Hong Ha said unhygienic ice could cause acute diarrhoea,cholera and damage the liver and kidneys.
Lastmonth, the institute received 38 patients suffering from acutediarrhoea, two of which were in critical condition. The patients hadconsumed unhygienic street food.
Health Departmentdirector Tuan said the department would increase their inspections ofice producers and disseminate information encouraging people to changetheir eating habits.
"Once consumers say no to unhygienic food and beverages, the producers of these products will go out of business," Tuan said./.
Department director LeAnh Tuan reports that only 42 of the city's 200 ice-making factorieshold the supposedly compulsory licence.
"Theremainder are mostly business households that are limited to makingblock ice for frozen food although some of it goes to beverage shops orbia hoi restaurants," the director said.
Thedirector said although regulations governing unhygienic food andbeverage was issued several years ago, violations were difficult todetect because the offenders " constantly moved their premises" to avoidinspectors.
Punishments were also too lenient – a fine of about 10-15 million VND (526-789 USD).
PhD Trinh Le Hung from the University of Natural Sciences saidwater must be drawn from about 90m deep beneath the ground and thenspecially cleaned before it is made into ice.
Unhygienic ice was extremely dangerous as bacteria and toxic chemicalscould long survive in a frozen environment, he warned.
National Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases deputy directorDr Nguyen Hong Ha said unhygienic ice could cause acute diarrhoea,cholera and damage the liver and kidneys.
Lastmonth, the institute received 38 patients suffering from acutediarrhoea, two of which were in critical condition. The patients hadconsumed unhygienic street food.
Health Departmentdirector Tuan said the department would increase their inspections ofice producers and disseminate information encouraging people to changetheir eating habits.
"Once consumers say no to unhygienic food and beverages, the producers of these products will go out of business," Tuan said./.
