Health inspectors in Hanoi have found dangerous substances in tapioca pearl, a substance used to make pearl milk tea, a popular drink among young people.

The city Department of Health told the media on August 26 that its inspectors took samples from a shop at 68 Cau Giay selling it and found them containing 1.6 to 2.6 times the benzoic and sorbic acids – preservatives – permitted by the Ministry of Health.

The tapioca pearl was produced by Hanoi-based Hong Hoa Truong Lac company.

They also took samples of Dong Hui brand of tapioca pearl imported from China from another shop and found them to contain 1.5 times the permitted acid content and 4.9 times the permitted saccharin content.

Dr Le Hong Thao, deputy head of the National Institute of Food Hygiene and Safety, said all of the chemicals seriously affect the liver and kidney if consumed for a long time.

By Kh.Nguyen – Translated by Hai Mien