China’s pork-to-beef technology on sale in Vietnam

Beef stock sold at Dong Xuan market

China’s scandalous additives that can turn pork to beef can now be found everywhere in the country’s northern markets.
At Dong Xuan, Hanoi’s biggest wholesale market on Hang Buom Street, many shop owners are now offering Chinese additives that “can help you cook your beef better.”
“If you want your pork to smell and look just like beef, a little bit of this can do the job,” C.T.L, the owner of a spice shop in Dong Xuan, said as she was showing us a pack of ivory powder.
C.T.L declared the powder, which didn’t have any label identifying its origin or ingredients, was “made in Vietnam.”
This powder is also available at many other shops.
Costing VND500,000 (US$24) per kg, this beef powder is more expensive than another type of beef additives, beef stock, which is also being widely sold here.
Having yellow color and an unpleasant smell, a liter of this beef extract fetches only VND400,000 (US$19.3) and is sold in a can that is not labeled either.
Offering the same beef extract at a slightly lower, H.A, the owner of another shop in Dong Xuan said prices of these beef additives vary day by day, depending on prices in China.
“Our frequent customers are pho restaurants,” L.N, an assistant at another shop said.
She said pho (Vietnamese noodle) shops often use beef powder to season their broth.
IInspection under way
Nguyen Cong Khan, a food safety official at the Ministry of Health said additives can give pork beef’s flavor and color, but can’t change pork’s texture and taste.
He said the ministry had received reports about the smuggling of these additives into Vietnam. “We are planning to carry out an inspection in Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh,” Khan assured.

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