The Vietnam Food Safety Authority under the Ministry of Health sent a document requiring the Phu Tho Provincial Department of Health and the Phu Tho Province Food Safety Authority to urgently inspect and recall all counterfeit monosodium glutamate (MSG) products manufactured by Famimoto Vietnam Co., Ltd.
The document calls for a thorough review of the company's product declarations, the immediate withdrawal of counterfeit MSG products from the market, and close cooperation with local law enforcement to pursue legal action. Health authorities in Phu Tho have also been required to issue public warnings, advising residents and collective kitchens to refrain from using any products produced by Famimoto Vietnam.
The action follows an emergency raid conducted by Phu Tho police, who discovered and seized more than 71,000 liters of cooking oil, 40 tons of MSG, 22 tons of seasoning powder, 9 tons of soup powder, nearly 84 tons of food additives, and approximately 1.6 million pieces of packaging materials. The seized goods were produced and packaged entirely on-site using local bottling and repackaging equipment.
Investigators revealed that Famimoto Vietnam had already distributed approximately 144 tons of cooking oil, 118 tons of soup powder, and 363 tons of counterfeit seasoning powder to the market. A significant portion of these fake products was supplied to kitchens in industrial zones, raising serious public health concerns.
In connection with the investigation, the Phu Tho Provincial Police detained Nguyen Van Hung, Director of Famimoto Vietnam Co., Ltd., on suspicion of manufacturing and trading counterfeit food products on April 27.
Initial statements from Nguyen Van Hung indicated that raw materials for the counterfeit products were purchased from Quang Thanh Trading Co., Ltd. in Hoang Mai District, Hanoi. These materials were then repackaged under two fabricated brands: "Boat Brand Monosodium Glutamate – Singapore Origin" and "Famimoto Monosodium Glutamate – Leading Vietnamese Brand, Japanese Technology." Cooking oils were similarly rebottled and labeled as "Premium Boat Brand Cooking Oil – Singapore Origin" and "Fami Gold Vegetable Oil – 100-percent Singapore-Imported Ingredients."
