Health Officials Pulls Vietnamese Yogurt, or Da Ua, from Shelves

The OC Register reported today that da ua, the Vietnamese yogurt made from condense milk, is being pulled off the shelves in Orange County due to health regulations.  What’s the regulation? Basically, you cannot make dairy products at home and sell it to the public.

Da ua, which originated from the French “yaourt,” is a house hold dessert in Da Lat, Vietnam, my home town.  A vestige of life in Vietnam, the da ua in the United Stated is made at home using plain yogurt, condensed milk, and water right at home.  No need for big factories.

I understand why the California Department of Food and Agriculture would not want people to process dairy products at home and sell it to the public.  A lot can go wrong when something as perishable as milk is involved.  I hope in this instance, we can come to an understanding.  The way we make certain foods in our culture has been the same for hundreds of years.  We’ve stayed safe.  Also, our parents seem to have a sixth sense about if the yogurt is spoiled or not.

To follow the developments, head over to the original article from the OC Register.

To make your own da ua, jump over to Viet World Kitchen for the recipe.