Seems like we need to be careful when eating out these days, as unexpected ingredients may be found, especially if in a Saizeriya. As reported by Hu, a customer at the Italian-style fast food restaurant chain, who encountered a few unwelcomed ingredients when dining last week.
On Jan 2, Hu and her friend went to an outlet of Saizeriya on North Sichuan Road, where they spotted a cockroach and a cockroach leg in their drinks. Later, they reported the incident to the Hongkou District supervision department.
“Before I noticed the cockroach leg in the orange juice, I had already drunk 3 cups of milk tea in the same cup. I really have no idea if I swallowed something else, it’s just disgusting,” advised Hu. According to Hu, after she got her ‘surprise,’ her friend found a dead cockroach in his drink as well.
Hu and her friend took the pictures immediately and complained to the waiters. The operator apologized and waived their dining fee. However, the operator turned a deaf ear to Hu’s request to suspend the drinking machine. That’s the main reason Hu exposed the outlet to the suspension department.
The supervision department of Hongkou District took the complaint seriously and dispatched their inspectors the next day. After asking the operator to open the drinking machine, the inspectors were astonished by what they saw: Not only was the inside of the machine severely rusted, there were also spider webs inside along with a huge spider crawling along the pipe.
Although the operator assured the inspectors that the drinking machine is maintained every month, they found that the machines had no pest prevention measures at all.
After the investigation, the supervision department ordered the outlet to rectify the issue immediately. They were asked to clean, sterilize or replace their drinking machines. The machines can operate again only after they pass the watchdogs’ further examinations.
According to Food Safety Law, businesses producing rotten, mildew, infested, dirty and any food which violates the food safety standard will be fined up to RMB100,000. If the circumstance is severe, they will even receive the penalty of having their license revoked.
The director of Shanghai Municipal Food and Drug Administration (SHFDA) reported that there are a dozen Saizeriya outlets across the city. They will talk with the representatives of Saizeriya and ask them to solve the food safety issues once and for all. In the meantime, we will leave it with you as to whether you order a drink next time you visit one of their restaurants.
