Prosecutors yesterday questioned people over an apparent food poisoning incident at a Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant and listed three as suspects.
Franchise owner Li Fang-hsuan (黎仿軒), a store manager surnamed Wang (王) and a Vietnamese cook surnamed Ho (胡) face charges of contravening the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法) and negligence causing death, prosecutors said, adding that they have been barred from leaving the country.
Two people have died after eating on separate days last week at the restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Department Store Xinyi A13.
Photo: CNA
The results of an autopsy on one of those who died, a 66-year-old man, were released yesterday. They showed that bongkrek acid was in blood samples, as was the case for the first person who died, a 39-year-old man.
Health officials said it is the first time the toxin has been linked to deaths in Taiwan.
Others who fell ill after eating at the restaurant reported symptoms including abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Health authorities yesterday said that 21 people have been identified as having symptoms after eating at the restaurant last week, with five in intensive care units.
Prosecutors earlier questioned the suspects about food handling and preparation procedures.
Prior to the autopsies showing the presence of bongkrek acid, prosecutors had included deliberate poisoning and bacterial contamination as possible causes.
Ho told prosecutors that he was a substitute for a regular chef, surnamed Chou (周), who had gone abroad on vacation.
Ho had been in charge of the kitchen for nine days until the Taipei City Government on Tuesday ordered all of the restaurants in the franchise to close until further notice, meaning he was there prior to Tuesday last week.
The 66-year-old ate there on that day. He died on Wednesday.
Ho told prosecutors that he followed proper procedures for preparing food and cooking dishes, and added that Li and Wang were in charge of ordering and storing ingredients.
Prosecutors also questioned Chou, who returned to Taiwan yesterday.
The Taipei Department of Health fined Li NT$2.5 million (US$78,149) for supplying false information on the restaurant’s business registration.
Moreover, Li has not paid mandatory product liability insurance since last year, the department said.
Most of those who reported symptoms after eating at the restaurant last week said they ate char kway teow (炒粿條) from the menu — a stir-fried rice noodle dish.
Experts suspect the bongkrek acid was in the noodles and officials have inspected suppliers to determine the source of the toxin, including whether it originated overseas.
Li had promoted the franchise as authentic Malaysian cuisine and said most of the ingredients were imported from Malaysia.
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