Those who are passionate and love Nguyen Ninh green rice cake – a familiar brand of Hanoi for hundreds of years now may no longer be able to enjoy the cakes here, as this unit has had to temporarily close to fix violations related to food safety and hygiene.
Previously, the Hanoi City Food Safety Interdisciplinary Inspection Team No. 1 conducted a surprise inspection at the Nguyen Ninh green rice cake facility. During the inspection, the team recorded many violations related to the preservation of raw materials and hygiene of the processing area.
Iconic green rice cake shop in the heart of Hanoi
Up to now, Nguyen Ninh green rice cake has been passed down through 6 generations, the secret of making the cake is kept as a family treasure, only taught secretly to the children in the family. The story of the first green rice cake made at 11 Hang Than Street in 1865 is always a topic that makes people curious and interested.
Once upon a time, Nguyen Ninh green rice cake shop at 11 Hang Than was a familiar address for Hanoians.
Since 1865, Nguyen Ninh green rice cake shop has appeared and since then has become an indispensable part of the land of a thousand years of civilization. The ancestor of the Nguyen Duy family was the first person to make green rice cake. The name Nguyen Ninh means "Original Yen Ninh village" - the origin of green rice cake, because Hang Than street used to belong to Yen Ninh village, Yen Thanh commune, the suburbs of Hanoi.
With its characteristic delicious flavor, a harmonious combination of the sweetness of sugar, the richness of coconut and the richness of green rice, Nguyen Ninh green rice cake has conquered many picky diners. Commenting on Nguyen Ninh green rice cake, many diners cannot help but praise it. Every time you take a bite of the cake, the sweetness of sugar blends with the fragrant aroma of green rice gradually melts on the tip of your tongue, creating an indescribable feeling. The green rice is sticky, not crumbly at all, tightly mixed with the rich green bean filling, creating a surprisingly harmonious whole.
The taste of the cake makes tourists from all over the world miss it when they come to the capital.
Although the brand has been registered and licensed for business since 1994, Nguyen Ninh green rice cake is still counterfeited in many places, even on Hang Than street.
This is also a typical item used in many formal occasions such as engagement ceremonies, weddings, celebrations and is chosen as a special gift for friends and relatives.
However, Mr. Nguyen Duy Anh, representative of the "original" Nguyen Ninh green rice cake brand, said that so far the store only has one location at 11 Hang Than Street; has been granted a certificate of trademark registration by the Department of Industrial Property and is licensed to register a business according to the law. This facility does not sell online, nor does it sell through e-commerce platforms. Buyers often come directly to the store at 11 Hang Than or hire a delivery unit, but they all call to order in advance.
Hundred-year-old brand "falls off horse" because of dirtying
Famous for decades, it seemed that Nguyen Ninh's biggest problem revolved around the story of being copied. However, recently, the production facility was suspended due to serious violations of food hygiene and safety, which dealt a heavy blow to consumer confidence. Could it be that Nguyen Ninh's rapid success has made him complacent and ignore food safety regulations?
Hanoi City's interdisciplinary food safety inspection team checks labels of Nguyen Ninh green rice cakes.
According to the inspection team at the scene, the production area of this facility was used from the family kitchen, had no separate areas, was arranged haphazardly and was in a state of serious disrepair. The production floor was peeling, moldy, and had open drains with stagnant waste. The inspection team also discovered that clothes were being dried right in the processing area, and production tools were dirty due to lack of regular cleaning.
Notably, the toilet is located right next to the food processing area. The production area also has insects and animal feces. The raw materials are not properly preserved. Bags of dried rice flakes, the main ingredient for making rice cakes, are stacked right at the entrance, close to the moldy wall.
The facility has also not been able to present documents proving the origin of all raw materials, food additives, and packaging that comes into direct contact with food.
Meanwhile, the facility has not yet presented documents proving the origin of raw materials, food additives and packaging that directly contact food. The inspection team discovered that the owner of the facility and 5 employees did not have health certificates or confirmation of having been trained in food safety knowledge. In addition, the labels of the green rice cake products did not comply with the regulations on product labeling and were inconsistent with the product declaration.
The content of many posts on social networks of this facility also affirms that the green rice cake ensures quality, food safety and hygiene, no additives, no preservatives, and retains the traditional flavor.
In response to the above violations, the inspection team requested the facility to temporarily suspend all production activities to correct the shortcomings; at the same time, the Ba Dinh District Food Safety Steering Committee was assigned to continue working with the facility to thoroughly handle the violations and report the results before January 10.
From this incident, it can be seen that even long-standing, famous brands need to prioritize food hygiene and safety. Consumers need to be especially careful to prioritize choosing products with clear origins, full labels, and stay away from establishments with signs of hygiene violations to protect the health of themselves and their families.
