A food store chain selling banh mi chao (bread with combo pan) has suspended the operation of its branch in Thai Binh Province, northern Vietnam after diners recently discovered live maggots in the food served to them.

Situated within Vincom Plaza Ly Bon in the provincial capital city of Thai Binh, this branch of the Cot Dien Quan food chain offered the delectable 'bread with combo pan,’ a Vietnamese-style twist on stuffed bread that features a delightful combination of sunny side up eggs, pâté, and sausage, all cooked to perfection in a frying pan.

As observed by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Thursday, the branch has temporarily closed its doors in response to an earlier notice, following a scandal related to food hygiene and safety.

As depicted in a video clip circulating on social media, at least three servings of banh mi chao were recently presented to diners, revealing many live maggots crawling within the pâté of each serving, causing great distress to those dining.

As soon as seeing the maggots, the diners refused to eat them and left the store although its staff said new servings would be brought to them.

Following the incident, the banh mi chao chain promptly issued a notice to suspend its Thai Binh branch until May 12, aiming to thoroughly investigate the cause of the food safety issue.

In the notice, a representative of Cot Dien Quan extended apologies to customers and acknowledged that the Thai Binh store had not adhered to the chain management's guidelines and requirements regarding food hygiene and safety, as well as the quality of food and beverages.

The chain's management stated that they have issued a warning and imposed a penalty on the Thai Binh branch, while instructing all branches to conduct a thorough review of their hygiene and safety practices to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The chain affirmed that the Thai Binh store will only resume operations once the chain's supervisory staff has conducted a thorough inspection and confirmed that the store has implemented effective measures to meet food hygiene and safety standards.

On the Facebook fan page of Cot Dien Quan in Thai Binh, the branch representative accepted responsibility for the regrettable incident and extended sincere apologies to the diners who had been served food containing maggots, as well as to all other customers.

The chain's management clarified that the pâté used by the chain is of the frozen variety, produced according to a strictly controlled process and stored in freezers until being utilized.

However, the branch's mismanagement led to the pâté becoming decayed and infested with maggots, as stated by the food chain.

During the suspension period, the Thai Binh branch will conduct thorough cleaning and disinfection of the entire kitchen area, in addition to implementing other measures aimed at ensuring food hygiene and safety.

In discussions with Tuoi Tre on Thursday, Pham Thi My Hanh, head of the provincial Food Safety and Hygiene Department, stated that she has assigned staff to verify and investigate the incident thoroughly before taking appropriate measures.

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