ByteDance food poisoning case: Eatery chain charged, chicken dish allegedly had bacteria
SINGAPORE - Eatery chain Yun Hai Yao has been hauled to court on June 4 over the ByteDance mass food poisoning case in 2024 which affected 169 people.
The wok fried diced chicken it catered for ByteDance's office in One Raffles Quay on July 30, 2024, allegedly contained bacteria, according to court documents.
More than 10 live cockroaches were also allegedly found at Yun Hai Yao's premises in Northpoint City on July 31 the same year.
The company, which is from China, and more commonly known here as Yun Nans, faces two charges - one under the Sale of Food Act, and another under the Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations.
A Singapore Food Agency (SFA) prosecutor said they were seeking a $5,000 fine in total for the two charges.
Yun Hai Yao's chief executive officer Mr Lu Zhi Tao, appeared in court on behalf of the company. He told the court the firm intends to plead guilty and is not engaging a lawyer.
Charge sheets state that Yun Hai Yao's chicken dish catered for ByteDance had coagulase positive Staphylococcus Aureus counts with Staphylococcus Enterotoxin A genes.
Staphylococcus Aureus is commonly found in the environment and on human skin or in noses.
It can cause food poisoning when it is introduced into food during the production process, particularly when good hand hygiene is not practised.
Casualties transferred into a Mass Decontamination Vehicle outside One Raffles Quay on July 30, 2024.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Symptoms can include sudden onset of nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea.
Meanwhile, the cockroaches at the eatery's Northpoint City outlet were found beneath a folded grey plastic mat behind a rack in the licensed premises, according to court documents.
The company is scheduled to plead guilty on July 2.
Yun Hai Yao, along with another caterer Pu Tien Services, had been suspended by SFA from July 31, 2024 after 169 people at ByteDance suffered gastroenteritis after eating food supplied by the two caterers.
A total of 17 people were hospitalised after the food poisoning incident.
Pu Tien Services was given the green light by SFA on August 10 that year to resume operations.
Yun Hai Yao's suspension was lifted by SFA six days later, after it took the necessary measures, including cleaning and sanitising its premises, and disinfecting food preparation surfaces, tables and floors.
Christine Tan is a journalist at The Straits Times reporting on crime, justice and social issues in Singapore.
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