Vietnamese authorities are investigating several international food companies operating in the country after Taiwanese authorities put them on a list of customers buying illegally-recycled cooking oil.

Making of gutter oil

Taiwan has fined the Chan Guann Company USD1.6 million for manufacturing and selling what is known in the industry as gutter oil. A large amount of this oil is suspected to be made from waste and sick animals. The Taiwanese government also released a list of Chan Guann's customers who might have been buying the gutter oil from the company. Several of those international companies have operations in Vietnam, prompting the local authorities to investigate.

The list includes the Bakery Cafe outlet, owned by Maxim's Group. A representative of Maxim's Group admitted that in the past they have bought oil from Chang Guann. Another familiar name embroiled in the controversy is Bread Talk Concept HK, which runs nine restaurants in HCM City.

On September 15, the Food Administration, under the Ministry of Health, announced that they also discovered that the Vietnamese firm Cuu Huong imported two food products that contain illegally recycled oil, including canned cucumbers with pork and canned minced meat with chilli.

The administration ordered Cuu Huong to stop distribution and recall those products. Cuu Huong must submit the results to the administration by September 20. Local departments of health and relevant agencies were also asked to inspect their markets and confiscate those products.