Stirring news of dirty food in elementary school kitchen

At noon on September 16, many parents gathered in front of the gate of Trung Vuong Primary School, Xuan Huong Ward - Da Lat, Lam Dong (belonging to Ward 2, old Da Lat City), to pick up their children to go home for lunch, instead of staying at school to eat with their friends. This happened after a complaint was shared on social networks accusing the Principal of Trung Vuong Primary School of contracting with a supplier to repeatedly bring dirty food into the boarding kitchen.

Xôn xao thực phẩm bẩn vào bếp bán trú trường tiểu học ở P.Xuân Hương- Đà Lạt- Ảnh 1. — Many parents at Trung Vuong Primary School wait for their children to come home for lunch instead of staying at the boarding school.

On the same morning, at Trung Vuong Primary School, Thanh Nien reporter witnessed the authorities of Lam Dong Provincial Police and Xuan Huong Ward - Da Lat come to work with the school's Board of Directors and representatives of students' parents.

Xôn xao thực phẩm bẩn vào bếp bán trú trường tiểu học ở P.Xuân Hương- Đà Lạt- Ảnh 2. — School message sent to parents of students of all classes on the morning of September 16, 2025

At around 9:30 a.m., the homeroom teachers shared in the class's Zalo group with the following content: "Recently, on social networks, some images and videos of food that did not meet quality standards were shared, greatly affecting the reputation and honor of the school. In fact, this incident happened in 2024 but has only been spread now. As soon as this incident happened, the school proactively invited the health agency to inspect and there were no food safety problems, no poisoning occurred. At the same time, the school terminated the contract with the old kitchen team, signed a contract (contract - PV) with the new kitchen team and selected suppliers with full food safety documents from the beginning of the 2025 school year until now."

Reporting the act of bringing dirty food into the kitchen

Meanwhile, the content of the complaint posted on social media clearly stated that the provision of dirty food to the boarding kitchen of Trung Vuong Primary School took place from November 2024 to April 2025.

Xôn xao thực phẩm bẩn vào bếp bán trú trường tiểu học ở P.Xuân Hương- Đà Lạt- Ảnh 3. — The shrimp dish was not of good quality, so the kitchen team took a photo and reported it to the school's Board of Directors.

Specifically, the first time on November 21, 2024, the supplier delivered 10kg of smelly and green pork bones. Then, on December 26, 2024, the supplier delivered 35kg of unlabeled, smelly frozen beef balls. The head chef reported to the principal, but the principal did not return them but handed them over to the accountant to handle. The accountant forced the kitchen to receive the goods and cook them for the students. After eating, 2 students vomited, and the teacher also complained that the beef balls had an unpleasant, sour smell.

In March and April 2025, the school kitchen team had to receive substandard shrimp and meat many times. The petition clearly stated: "On March 6, 2025, the supplier delivered 50kg of pre-sliced beef. We checked and found it was wet, shiny, and strangely slimy. The head chef reported to the principal, who checked and said they mixed oil to make it easier to slice. We tried pouring oil into the meat, but the oil continued to soak in. We believe this is an act of fraud, because 1kg of oil is only 50,000 VND, compared to 1kg of beef being 290,000 VND."

Xôn xao thực phẩm bẩn vào bếp bán trú trường tiểu học ở P.Xuân Hương- Đà Lạt- Ảnh 4. — Minutes of recording dirty food in the boarding kitchen on April 15, 2025

Xôn xao thực phẩm bẩn vào bếp bán trú trường tiểu học ở P.Xuân Hương- Đà Lạt- Ảnh 5. — Minutes with many signatures confirming that food that does not meet quality standards must be returned to the customer.

On April 15, 2025, the supplier delivered 40kg of pork that turned green when boiled. The kitchen team informed the principal, who then invited the People's Committee and medical staff of Ward 2, Da Lat City (now Xuan Huong Ward - Da Lat) to inspect. The principal and the supplier said they would take the meat for inspection. Ms. X. then brought the meat home to feed her dogs. The school's medical staff made a record to destroy the meat.

It is worth mentioning that after many times of receiving dirty food from the supplier, the kitchen team asked the principal to change the supplier but was not accepted.

What do insiders say?

Working with Thanh Nien reporter, Ms. Nguyen Thai Quynh Nga said that she has been the Principal of Trung Vuong Primary School for 1.5 years. The incident of substandard food occurred in April 2025, but now Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh (former assistant chef) has posted it online. Ms. Nga said that she no longer has a contract with Ms. Thanh and head chef Nguyen Thi Thai Oanh. In the 2025-2026 school year, the whole school has 1,700 students, including 700 boarding students.

Xôn xao thực phẩm bẩn vào bếp bán trú trường tiểu học ở P.Xuân Hương- Đà Lạt- Ảnh 6. — In the 2025-2026 school year, Trung Vuong Primary School has 700 boarding students staying at school for lunch.

Xôn xao thực phẩm bẩn vào bếp bán trú trường tiểu học ở P.Xuân Hương- Đà Lạt- Ảnh 7. — At noon on September 16, 2025, many students were picked up by their parents, so there were some student tables left.

Ms. NTH, mother of a 5th grade student at Trung Vuong Primary School, said that last Friday her child ate beef noodle soup at school. When he got home, he said the beef had a very unpleasant smell. Ms. H. advised her child that the taste at school was probably different from what she cooked, and that he tried to eat it, but he insisted that the meat had a smell.

Mr. TVT, father of a 4th grade student, shared that his daughter came home from school and said that this year the kitchen's food was not as good as last year; one day she skipped a meal and only ate a cake to stave off hunger. "From today (September 16), I let her go home for lunch and not eat at the school kitchen anymore for safety," said Mr. T.

Ms. HHN, mother of a second grader, said that when she saw information about dirty food in the school kitchen being shared online, she temporarily took her child home for lunch. When there is a clear conclusion, she will decide whether to let her child eat lunch at school or not.

Xôn xao thực phẩm bẩn vào bếp bán trú trường tiểu học ở P.Xuân Hương- Đà Lạt- Ảnh 8. — Parents view the school menu posted publicly at Trung Vuong Primary School.

Xôn xao thực phẩm bẩn vào bếp bán trú trường tiểu học ở P.Xuân Hương- Đà Lạt- Ảnh 9. — Authorities came to work at Trung Vuong Primary School on the morning of September 16.

After lunch on September 16, the reporter met a group of 5th grade students who came to look at the menu posted publicly in front of the dining hall. They all said that today's food was very delicious and they ate all their portions.

An officer from Lam Dong Provincial Police said that the authorities are verifying and investigating the contents of the complaint circulating on social networks, and at the same time checking and collecting documents and records related to the boarding activities of Trung Vuong Primary School from the 2024-2025 school year until now.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/xon-xao-thong-tin-thuc-pham-ban-vao-bep-ban-tru-truong-tieu-hoc-185250916134903406.htm