The Vietnam Food Administration, a part of the Ministry of Health, responsible for managing food hygiene, safety, and quality, yesterday said it has not issued certificate of food safety  to palm oil from Ghana of Kemtoy Miyan Cash & Carry, which the UK’s Department of Food Safety is asking to remove from market due to containing the illegal dye known as Sudan IV, which is genotoxin and carcinogen.

After receiving the warning from the UK’s Department of Food Safety that Kemtoy Miyan Cash & Carry’s palm oil from Ghana is being withdrawn from sale as the oil contains  banned Sudan IV that are used for coloring solvents, oils, waxes, petrol, and shoe and floor polishes, Vietnamese food safety authority has asked related agencies to check the circulation of the products in the market.

Reports from agencies said that from December 1, 2008, Vietnam Food Administration has not issued certificate of food safety to Ghanaian palm oil; however, the food authority will keep updating the news of the oil to consumers.

Sudan dyes are synthetic organic compounds that are used as dyes for various plastics and other compositions. Medical experts said that Sudan IV or Sudan dyes are used in industry and it ranks the toxic dyes as studies have examined Sudan I's effects on animal and human DNA and found a mutagenic result.