The company, however, will be fined more than VND60 million (US$3,355) because nearly 40 tons of meat, ordered to be destroyed, failed food safety tests or had expired its use-by-date. All the meat to be destroyed had been detected at its stores in Ho Chi Minh City during different inspections since July 15.

The decision was made Friday during a meeting between city agencies, including the municipal Animal Health Agency, Market Management Agency, Department of Health and the Institute of Hygiene and Public Health.

Vinafood will be fined VND1.5 million for failing to register 200 tons of frozen meat at its store in Thu Duc District with the local animal health agency. The meat will be allowed to be sold next week.

Following tests, city agencies decided to allow the company to sell 90 tons of frozen pork and chicken without expiry date labels that had been stored at a cold store in District 7. Around 21 tons of expired pork chops and chicken sausages inspected at the store will be destroyed.

Around 17.4 tons of pork chops and pig’s feet at the company’s store in Binh Tan District will also be destroyed after inspectors found the company had tried to cover old use-by labels with new ones.

However, the agencies said they would seek instructions from the city administration concerning batches of sealed irradiated meat imported by Vinafood.