Dried fruit sold in Binh Tay Market, Ho Chi Minh City, with no information about the origin, or production or expiry dates.

Health authorities in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday said they have found dried fruits in the market containing lead and a banned artificial sweetener.

Tests showed that the amount of lead in three of the samples exceeded the permitted level of 0.1 milligram per kilogram, and four contained 2.25-13.75 percent of cyclamate, a sweet-tasting compound banned in food in Vietnam.

Two of the samples were found to contain many times more saccharin than the permitted 200mg/kg.

All samples were taken from products whose labels didn’t state the origin, production and expiry dates.

Le Van Nhan, deputy director of HCMC Preventive Health and Environment Center, was quoted by the newswire Vietnamnet on Thursday saying consuming more lead than permitted can damage blood cells, kidneys or the brain, as well as chronic poisoning that causes constant headaches and stomachaches.

Meanwhile, long use of cyclamate can cause liver or lung cancer and even deformed babies, Nhan said.

The findings were announced by Huynh Le Thai Hoa, head of the food safety and hygiene bureau under the city Health Department.

The department has ordered District 6 authorities to take samples from all dried fruit booths at Binh Tay Market, and also check dried fruits at school canteens and with vendors outside schools. Unlabeled products must be disposed of, the department said.

Around 20 traders, all licensed, sell dried fruit at the Binh Tay Market.

The inspection was carried out after news broke out last month that dried fruits imported from China and Taiwan to Malaysia were lead-contaminated.

Vendors in Binh Tay Market said the price of dried fruits imported from China has dropped 20-25 percent this year as wholesalers in China were forced by huge output to lower the price.

Thanh and Dung said the Chinese fruits they sell are only labeled with names and weight.

Dung said she imported dozens of tons of dry fruit every four or five days. “I’m trading, so I buy when the price is good. They sell well, so I have never required the providers to produce quality certificates or anything.”

Source: Thanh Nien, Tuoi Tre