Melon seeds in Da Nang have been soaked in carcinogenic chemicals, health authorities said, but the alleged producer said the products must have been counterfeited.

Ho Lai Dung, chief inspector at the Da Nang Health Department, said the chemical compound often used as a tracer dye that can cause cancer.

Dung has ordered inspections of Da Nang markets and the removal of all Tan Phat melon seeds produced from local booths and shelves. Inspectors have already collected 13 kilograms of Tan Phat seeds and local retailers said they had returned seeds to Tan Phat company following the finding.

Le Thi Ca, owner of the Chau Kim Moc Company which owns the Tan Phat brand, has denied the accusations.

Officials in the south-central province of Binh Thuan, where the company is based, said Chau Kim Moc had been roasted and selling Tan Phat melon seeds across the country for dozens of years.

But Ca said she only sold around 30-40 tons of Tan Phat seeds in the central region per year and that many northern producers might have faked Tan Phat products.

Nguyen Nho Hau, deputy head of Da Nang Market Management, said the unit in November 2007 received a note from Chau Kim Moc Company accusing Da Nang-based Hoang Thu Company of violating its copyrights.

Ca also produced test results by health officials from HCMC from 2002 and 2009 showing that the melon seeds used coloring Ponceau 4R, which is a food additive permitted by the Health Ministry. There were no tests in 2008.

Inspections by the Binh Thuan Health Department on Friday found 79 tons of melon seeds from China at the company warehouse. The seeds have been sealed for further testing.

Nguyen Van Nhon, the department director, earlier said will shut down the company if anything comes up positive for Rhodamine B.

In California, products containing Rhodamine B must include labels warning of the substance’s carcinogenic properties.

The finding by the Da Nang authority prompted Ho Chi Minh City inspectors to guarantee on Thursday that industrial dyes had never been found in melon seeds sold in the city. But they said more tests would be conducted before Tet (Lunar New Year), which falls mid-February.

Roasted melon seeds are seen on most Vietnamese tables during Tet celebrations as their red color represents luck and the sound of the seeds cracking between teeth is considered auspicious.

Source: Thanh Nien, Tuoi Tre