Vietnamese authorities have arrested Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien, a well-known beauty queen and social media influencer, in connection with a major consumer fraud case involving counterfeit fibre supplements.

Nguyen, who won the Miss Grand International title in 2021 and earned recognition from the Vietnamese government, had heavily promoted a product called Kera Supergreens Gummies across her social media platforms. The gummies were marketed as being rich in fibre—claiming each gummy contained fibre equivalent to a plate of vegetables.

However, the public outcry began after independent lab tests revealed a different story. Instead of the promised 200mg of fibre per gummy, tests showed they contained just 16mg. Further investigations uncovered that the gummies were made with low-quality ingredients, lacked clear fibre content labeling, and contained high levels of sorbitol, a laxative ingredient not properly disclosed on the packaging.

Nguyen was not alone in the promotion. She partnered with fellow influencers Pham Quang Linh and Hang Du Muc, who were also involved in the business behind the product. Authorities say the three influencers collaborated in launching the supplement through a joint company venture.

Following the lab findings, all three influencers were initially fined and issued public apologies in March. But the case escalated quickly. In April, Vietnamese officials arrested Pham, Hang Du Muc, company executives, and the gummies’ manufacturer on charges of producing counterfeit goods and defrauding consumers.

On Monday, Nguyen was also taken into custody amid allegations of deceiving customers. It is estimated that over 100,000 boxes of the gummies were sold before the scandal forced a halt to sales.

Nguyen’s rise to fame extended beyond beauty pageants. After her 2021 win in Bangkok, she became a popular figure for brands in Vietnam and appeared on multiple reality TV shows. She even received certificates of merit from the Prime Minister and Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party. Now, her reputation faces serious damage as legal proceedings continue.

Source: BBC – Vietnamese beauty queen arrested for fraud over fibre gummies

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Recent investigations have revealed alarming levels of lead and cadmium in over-the-counter protein powders, with the highest concentrations found in plant-based, organic, and chocolate-flavored products. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there is no safe level of lead for humans, while cadmium, a known carcinogen, poses significant risks to the heart, kidneys, gut, brain, and reproductive systems.

The Clean Label Project, a nonprofit focused on food transparency, released the findings on Thursday, highlighting how organic protein powders contained three times more lead and twice the amount of cadmium compared to non-organic options. Additionally, plant-based protein powders (such as those made from soy, rice, and peas) contained three times more lead than whey-based products, which are derived from cheese production.

The Source of Contamination: Plants and Chocolate Flavors

Plants naturally absorb heavy metals from the earth, but contamination can worsen when grown in soil polluted by mining, industrial waste, or certain fertilizers and pesticides. The investigation also identified chocolate flavoring as a key source of contamination, with chocolate-flavored protein powders containing up to four times more lead and up to 110 times more cadmium than vanilla-flavored ones. A recent study showed that 43% of dark chocolate products exceeded California’s allowable lead levels, further confirming the heavy metal risks.

Jaclyn Bowen, Executive Director of the Clean Label Project, emphasized that heavy metal contamination in food is a global issue and is particularly prevalent in products marketed as healthy, including protein powders.

Industry Pushback: Concerns About Testing and Criteria

The Council for Responsible Nutrition, an industry group representing supplement manufacturers, criticized the investigation for lacking transparency regarding contamination thresholds and testing criteria. Andrea Wong, CRN’s Senior VP of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, argued that trace amounts of heavy metals naturally present in the environment may not necessarily pose health risks, as they often fall below federal safety limits.

Investigative Methodology: 160 Products Tested for Contaminants

For the investigation, Clean Label purchased 160 protein powder products from 70 leading brands, which were tested in an independent laboratory for over 35,000 contaminants, including heavy metals, bisphenols (such as BPA and BPS), and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The 2024 report focused on lead, cadmium, BPA, and BPS contamination levels. A prior investigation in 2018 revealed high levels of bisphenols, but the 2024 results showed a significant improvement: only three out of 160 protein powders tested contained BPA or BPS, a sharp drop from 55% of products in 2018.

Lead and Cadmium Levels Exceeding Safety Standards

In the 2024 report, nearly half (47%) of the protein powders tested exceeded California’s Proposition 65 guidelines for lead. Of those, 21% contained levels double the Prop 65 limit. The highest contamination was found in plant-based and organic protein powders, with about 80% of these products exceeding lead safety thresholds. On the other hand, only 26% of collagen-based and 28% of whey-based products surpassed the limit.

What Consumers Can Do to Protect Themselves

Despite the concerning findings, Bowen stressed that protein powders can still be part of a healthy lifestyle, but consumers need to make informed choices. For individuals following a plant-based diet, pea protein powders tend to have the lowest levels of heavy metals. For those without dietary restrictions, whey-based or egg-based, vanilla-flavored protein powders are generally the safest options.

Consumers should also consider reaching out to their preferred brands to inquire about contaminant levels. Bowen encouraged shoppers to “ask questions, demand answers,” noting that the issue of heavy metals in food products is not going away anytime soon.

By shopping wisely and staying informed, consumers can make healthier choices and help reduce their exposure to harmful contaminants in protein powders.

Source

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