Following the food poisoning incident in Ho Chi Minh City where nearly 200 students were hospitalized, the Food Safety Department has announced the results of its investigation.

On the afternoon of April 20th, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety announced the cause of the food poisoning incident at Binh Quoi Tay Primary School. After two weeks of investigation, authorities have officially identified the "culprit" that harmed the health of hundreds of students, dispelling public suspicions.

A "bewildering maze" of bacteria in school lunch meals.

Following thorough testing of food and biological samples, the Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Department determined that the lunch on April 7th was the cause of this serious incident. Of the 740 people who ate the meal, 266 reported symptoms of food poisoning ranging from mild to severe. Notably, 190 cases required emergency hospitalization with symptoms including severe abdominal cramps, vomiting, and prolonged high fever.

Analysis of food samples revealed a horrifying truth about the hygiene conditions at the supplier. Most of the dishes on the menu that day were severely contaminated with bacteria. Among them, flan and cabbage soup with meat were identified as the two highest-risk items. The main causative agent was specifically Salmonella, an extremely dangerous intestinal bacterium. Furthermore, authorities also discovered the presence of E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus in the food supply chain. This combination of bacteria severely attacked the digestive systems of hundreds of young children immediately after the meal.

Supplier responsibility and a belated apology.

The food supplier responsible for the incident has been identified as the Huu Phuoc Trading, Service, Production and Transportation Company Limited Branch. This unit is directly responsible for processing and transporting food to the school. The occurrence of cross-contamination and the presence of harmful bacteria indicates a serious laxity in food safety and hygiene control procedures, disregarding the most basic safety rules in industrial meal processing.

On the school's side, immediately after the incident broke out, the Principal of Binh Quoi Tay Primary School, Ms. Diep Thi Ngoc Tien, officially sent a letter of apology to all parents. In the letter, Ms. Tien frankly accepted responsibility as the head of the school for the serious shortcomings, and also criticized herself for not promptly providing transparent information, which caused confusion among parents. Currently, the school has temporarily suspended all boarding activities, canceled the contract with Huu Phuoc company, and is disinfecting the entire school grounds to ensure absolute safety for students returning to school.

Strengthening food safety regulations in schools.

The food poisoning incident at Binh Quoi Tay School is not only a tragedy for the families whose children were hospitalized, but also a stark warning to the education and health sectors of Ho Chi Minh City. Immediately after the incident, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and the Ministry of Health issued an urgent document requesting a review of all school lunch providers in the city. Not only Binh Quoi Tay School, but several other schools using the same food supply from Huu Phuoc Company have also proactively suspended meals to review their safety procedures.

The Ho Chi Minh City Food Safety Department affirmed that it will strictly handle violations by food processing units in accordance with the law, not excluding measures such as permanent suspension of operations if systematic violations are detected. This investigation once again highlights the importance of controlling the origin of food in schools. Behind each school lunch tray lies not only nutrition but also the lives and health of the younger generation, requiring close supervision from schools, management agencies, and close cooperation from parents.

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