During the first 20 days of 2018, Hanoi Market Watch Force has inspected two huge shipments of bubble tea materials that lacked a certificate of origin. Drinking too much bubble tea can cause health problems. – Photo tuoitre.com.vn The latest case took place was on Monday when the force in collaboration with Hanoi Police investigated the warehouse of Heekcaa Việt Nam Co, Ltd, and found hundreds of unlabeled tea bags and semi-finished products. Half of these bags had been repackaged and stamped with fake “Made in Vietnam” labels, even though their origin was unknown. Bubble tea, also known as pearl milk tea or boba tea, originated in Taiwan. A typical cup of bubble tea contains a tea base mixed with milk or fruit; chewy tapioca balls called pearls, boba or bubbles; and other toppings such as fruit jelly, pudding or sweetened red beans.Introduced into Vietnam more than a decade ago, bubble tea is an increasingly favorite drink among Vietnamese youngsters. Though its popularity is undeniable, bubble tea has raised several health concerns.A representative of the National Institute for Food Control told Tuổi trẻ (Youth) newspaper that the Government should conduct a massive test on bubble tea quality as students are the main consumers of the product.Hoàng Đại Nghĩa, head of Group 6 under the Hanoi Market Management Force, stressed the serious risks of unqualified food.”It will be hazardous for our children’s health if those drinks contain unclear chemicals,” he said.The raw materials for bubble tea-black tea, milk powder and dried… [Read full story]
Health inspectors to check bubble tea shops (04-09-2009) HCM CITY— After discovering bacteria or bleach in bubble tea at seven local shops, HCM City's Department of Health has ordered the inspection of every establishment in the city that makes or sells tapioca pearl balls. Inspectors on Tuesday announced they had found Coliform bacteria and Natri Sulfate, a bleach that is not permitted in food processing, in samples of bubble tea from four shops—3Q , Feeling Tea, Alo Tra and Tapi Tea on Nguyen Van Cu Street in District 1—and in three tapioca pearl ball factories: Hong Tuong Co Ltd in…... [read more]
A large proportion of young people in Vietnam are living a sedentary lifestyle as they spend more time surfing the internet, playing online games, working on computers, or simply just sitting down doing nothing. After class, Nguyen Hoang Ha, an undergrad at Bach Khoa University in Ho Chi Minh City, would simply go back home for dinner, lesson revision, movies, and sleep.He does not do sports even in his spare hours."I once signed up at a gym, but after working out several times, I lost my motivation. The thing is I also had to get up too early in the…... [read more]
More and more bubble tea brands are now trying to establish by investing in outlets with attractive designs in big cities, particularly Hanoi.Besides the popular names such as Feeling Tea and Ding Tea, the bubble tea market in Hanoi has also seen new brands such as Bobapop, Chago, Goky and Chevi.O Cho Dua Street in Dong Da District which is quite short but is home to around 10 bubble tea shops of different brands. More bubble tea brands opened in Hanoi There are more than 20 bubble tea brands in the capital city.Two years after arriving in Vietnam, Gong Cha…... [read more]
Many ingredients to make the "bubble tea" widely sold in the capital city have been found to have dubious or unclear origins, the Hanoi market watchdog agency has said. Officers conducted checks on shops selling the ingredients on Hang Buon Street and in Dong Xuan market, following news that Singapore has recalled several samples of the tapioca starch balls used in the "bubble teas". Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has so far recalled 15 types of tapioca starch balls made in Taiwan that are used in the preparation of bubble tea beverages, according to an announcement posted on its…... [read more]
Vietnam will not consider raising health insurance premiums until 2020, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has pledged. He made the statement during a meeting recently held in Hanoi on amendments to Government Decree 105/2014/ND-CP stipulating the enforcement of several articles of the Law on Health Insurance. To ensure the interests of health insurance participants, Hue asked the Health Ministry to collect feedback from ministries and units of finance and justice and the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) on amendments and supplements to the draft decree, which is slated for submission to the government this year. The Health Ministry was also ordered to work…... [read more]
