Dutch firm leads energy saving campaign

HCM CITY — Philips Viet Nam and the central province of Quang Tri organised a campaign last week to save electricity by using it effectively.

The Dutch electronics giant donated 1,400 energy-efficient fluoresecent light bulbs of various kinds to 350 poor households in Thuan Commune in the province's Huong Hoa District.

The campaign has also been launched in the provinces of Vinh Long, Dong Thap, An Giang, Quang Ngai, and Binh Thuan.

Domestic violence recovery programme

HA NOI — Hagar officially launched its recovery programme for Vietnamese women who are victims of violence, sexual abuse and trafficking yesterday in Ha Noi.

At the opening ceremony, it also presented graduation certificates to 13 Vietnamese women who had joined its pilot training programme.

Hagar, founded in 1994, is an international Christian organisation committed to the recovery, empowerment and reintegration of women and children in Afghanistan, Cambodia and Viet Nam.

Police seize two tonnes of unlabelled chicken

HA NOI — Ha Noi Police found and seized a truck illegally carrying two tonnes of unlabelled chicken, lacking point of origin certification on Monday in Thuong Tin District, Ha Noi.

Nguyen Van Quang, 33, living in northern Hai Duong Province, the truck's driver admitted to the police that he had been hired to transport the chicken to Ha Vi Market in the district.

Quang failed to show any documents proving the point of origin of the chicken.

Substandard moon cakes pulled off shelves

HA NOI — Ha Noi Market Watch Department seized about 1,000 substandard moon cakes produced by Gia Huy moon cake producer in Long Bien District in Ha Noi on Monday.

The inspection revealed that the producer had used unquarantined eggs to make moon cakes. The inspectors also found 140 unquarantined eggs at the producer's.

Monks trained in HIV prevention

HCM CITY — Monks from the Buddhist Institute joined a two-day training course for preventing and minimising discrimination against those with HIV/AIDS on Monday in HCM City.

The course, held by the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee and Northern European Association in Viet Nam, aims to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among monks. — VNS

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Crackdown on mooncake hygiene

Ha Noi Food Hygiene and Safety Department inspectors check moon cakes at the Gia Tien Company in Gia Lam District. — VNA/VNS Photo Huu Oai

HCM CITY — HCM City's Health Department in co-operation with the Market Watch Department was planning to tighten the inspection of moon cake producers city-wide from early this week until September 22, said Pham Kim Binh, deputy chief of the health department.

The investigation aimed to find and seize substandard moon cakes, which may be harmful to consumer health, Binh said.

Apart from 250 legal moon cake producers, many seasonal producers were illegally operating in the city, he said.

In addition to moon cakes that meet food hygiene and safety standards, small-scale producers are likely to be selling moon cakes at traditional markets throughout the city in anticipation of the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival that is to fall on September 22.

The prices of the homemade moon cakes ranged from between VND5,000-22,000 (US$0.4-1) and were cheaper than those produced by major bakery firms such as Kinh Do or Dong Khanh, he said.

A Kinh Do moon cake normally costs from VND29,000-68,000 ($1.4-3.4).

Homemade moon cakes could be found on sale at An Dong, District 5, and Binh Tay, District 6, markets and carried neither the baker's name nor expiry date.

Viet Nam Food Safety Science and Technology Association scientist Tran Van Ky said many of the moon cakes produced by seasonal producers on sale in the city's markets were baked from the cheapest materials and did not meet food hygiene and safety standards.

People on low-incomes were easy prey to the cake vendors, he said.

Consumers have been advised to buy only moon cakes from recognised producers, with packaging including expiry date and full food hygiene and safety information. — VNS

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