Police in Da Lat, a tourist hub in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, found that two well-known restaurants had been violating food hygiene and safety regulations by using food of unknown origin.

Da Lat police officers on Wednesday reported recent inspections, conducted in coordination with other functional agencies, of ‘Bo To Da Lat 118,' an eatery on Hung Vuong Street in Ward 11, and another food caterer at 8 Da Chien Hill in Ward 12.

Both restaurants failed to present any documents for their stored beef.

At 8 Da Chien Hill, the inspection team found 97kg of pork breast, worth about VND19 million (US$801), had no identifiable origin. 

The inspection team also examined a frozen meat storage facility at 46 Dinh Cong Trang in Ward 7 owned by Viet Ha Tay Nguyen One-Member Co. Ltd. and found some 700kg of pork breast, 270kg of pork uterus, and other food with no origin documentation.

Total value of the undocumented food discovered at the three establishments was estimated at VND308 million ($13,000), inspectors said.

A report has been made about the findings of the investigation and all questionable meat has been seized for destruction, as required by law.

Da Lat police said that they will continue coordinating with relevant agencies to conduct inspections of local food and beverage businesses in order to ensure their compliance with food hygiene and safety regulations.

Police also called on local residents to provide them with any information about food safety violations via phone number 0263 3822032 and affirmed that whistleblowers will be kept anonymous.

Such inspections are part of their drive to ensure food safety for consumers in general and for domestic and foreign travelers in particular, police said.

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