Authorities have launched an investigation after a rat was spotted in a dim sum restaurant with a 100-year tradition in China.
According to Chinese media outlets like the Beijing News, on the 29th of last month, a rat was discovered in the kitchen of the Tao Tao Ju (陶陶居) flagship store, a dim sum specialty restaurant in Liwan, Guangzhou.
Established in 1880, Tao Tao Ju is a prestigious Cantonese restaurant with a 144-year history. It was designated a national top-class restaurant in 1997 and is particularly famous for its dim sum and mooncakes.
The restaurant chain has branches across China. As the controversy grew, the restaurant stated, “This occurred because the lid was not properly covered while the staff was away,” adding, “Upon reviewing CCTV footage, we confirmed that the rat entered through the ventilation system.”
The restaurant reported that following the incident, it immediately discarded food, ingredients, and kitchenware and conducted a thorough kitchen disinfection. It also suspended the involved staff members and imposed disciplinary action on those responsible.
This is not the first time food hygiene issues involving rats have arisen in Chinese restaurants. On October 17, a video captured a rat climbing onto a tray of meat and gnawing at it in a butcher shop in Shenyang, Liaoning Province.
In November 2023, a rat was caught on camera eating beef placed on a workbench in a hot pot restaurant in Zhejiang Province. In December of the same year, another hot pot restaurant in Zhejiang saw an incident in which a live rat fell onto a dining customer’s head.
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