Hospitalizations in Vietnam’s Quang Ngai over suspected ‘banh mi’ food poisoning rise to 105

Phuc Hung General Hospital received 69 patients, Quang Ngai General Hospital admitted 19, and Quang Ngai Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital treated 17 patients, including mothers and infants.

Of the 105 patients, 73 remained hospitalized, while 32 had been discharged, as of Monday morning.

Patients reported purchasing and consuming ‘banh mi’ from Hong Van outlets between 3:00 pm on December 11 and 8:00 am on December 13 at multiple locations across Quang Ngai.

Common symptoms included vomiting, fever, and diarrhea, with the most severe case involving a 73-year-old who developed acute kidney failure.

Authorities ordered all Hong Van outlets to cease sales from noon on December 13 following the hospitalization of the first patients.

The Quang Ngai Center for Disease Control collected 17 food samples and six patient specimens for laboratory testing, with results expected within a week.

The Vietnam Food Safety Authority under the Ministry of Health urged the provincial health department to ensure hospitals devote sufficient resources to treat suspected food poisoning cases and prevent further harm to public health.

The agency also called for a thorough investigation to trace the origin of ingredients and identify the products suspected of causing the outbreak.

Any violations of food safety regulations will be strictly handled and publicly reported to warn the community.

The owner of the Hong Van ‘banh mi’ chain, Nguyen Hong, confirmed that the business produced and supplied pork rolls, beef rolls, ‘xiu mai’ (Vietnamese meatballs), butter, chili sauce, vegetables, and bread to its outlets.

Inspections revealed that Hong could not verify the origin of ingredients or products used and also lacked a health certificate, proof of food safety training, and registration documents for the pork and beef rolls.

The main production facility at 280 Nguyen Nghiem Street does not have a business registration certificate or confirmation that it meets food safety standards.

It failed to follow a one-way processing flow from raw materials to finished products and was not properly separated from potential sources of contamination.

In response to the incident, the Hong Van ‘banh mi’ brand posted an apology on its website, acknowledging shortcomings in food control and processing.

The chain confirmed it has temporarily suspended operations and is cooperating with authorities to investigate the cause and implement corrective measures.

Hong Van is a well-known ‘banh mi’ chain with multiple outlets across Quang Ngai.