Vinastas asked to clarify personal faults in last year’s fish sauce case

On October 17, 2016,, Vinastas in a press conference claimed that over two-thirds (67%) of the 150 fish sauce samples it had tested contained an arsenic concentration far exceeding the threshold, which caused deep concern in the public.

However, 5 days later, the Ministry of Health released another result after it had conducted testing of 247 random fish sauce samples from 82 traditional and industrial fish sauce producers. The result showed 100% samples did not have inorganic arsenic that harms people’s health.

Vietnam traditional fish sauce producer.

At the end of November 2016, the Ministry of Industry and Trade concluded Vinastas’s testing was not independent, reliable or transparent, and also pointed out some industrial-method fish sauce producers backing the association’s survey behinds the case is T&A Ogilvy.

Vinastas immediately published an apology statement on his website. As its testing results had badly hurt the traditional-production fish sauce industry, the apology was too late to stop a wave of anger of fish sauce manufactures and consumers.  

On 17th February, the Governmental Office issued a written statement conveying the direction of Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh requesting the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Public Security to promptly complete the direction of the Prime Minister on the case. However, the association has not yet submitted all relating documents to the involved.