Bách Hóa Xanh Accused of Selling Moldy Garlic Cracklings, but No Sample Remains for Testing

Khánh Hòa authorities could not verify the quality of garlic-seasoned pork cracklings at the center of a complaint against a Bách Hóa Xanh store because no physical sample remained.

The complaint concerned the store at 129 to 131 Dương Hiến Quyền Street in Bắc Nha Trang Ward. The customer said they bought the product on August 19 and ate it immediately. They reported a sore throat and nausea, then noticed that the food became increasingly bitter. The customer also said they found signs of green mold and stopped eating it. Later, they experienced a sore throat, stomach pain and repeated diarrhea.

The provincial Department of Industry and Trade received the complaint through Khánh Hòa’s public feedback system and ordered the market surveillance authorities to investigate. Store records showed that the product had been manufactured by a company on May 26, 2026, entered the store’s inventory on May 29 and carried an expiry date of August 26, 2026. The store also held product self-declaration documents.

The store contacted the customer after receiving the complaint on August 20. A medical examination on August 22 recorded acute pharyngitis or acute tonsillitis of unspecified cause. The result did not establish food poisoning or health effects caused by the cracklings. The store agreed to refund the purchase and cover the customer’s examination costs.

By the time inspectors arrived, the batch shown in the customer’s images had sold out. The customer no longer had the two packages and later asked to withdraw the complaint. Market Surveillance Team No. 1 therefore said it had no basis to determine that the store had sold spoiled or moldy food that harmed consumers.