The Vietnam Food Administration on May 12 banned import of Safflower oil manufactured by a French company because the product is alleged to contain a pigment that can be harmful for users.

The oil, made by Dianna Natures and mainly used for salad dishes, has been found to contain Orange II pigment, a substance that has already banned the EU Directorate General for Health and Consumers from export to many countries including Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City-based Tan Hiep Phat Company, the sole importer in Vietnam, has been ordered by the VFA to remove 15,704 kilograms of safflower oil off its production lines.