YATA probe widens after rat signs and illness complaints
HK01 · 2 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A complaint over suspected food poisoning after a customer ate sea urchin sashimi from YATA in San Po Kong has drawn renewed attention to hygiene conditions at the supermarket. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said it inspected the licensed food factory linked to the sushi products on 15 October after receiving a complaint on 14 October, and found no abnormalities in stored food or storage temperatures. Separately, the department said it had earlier received a rodent complaint about the supermarket on 12 October and issued a Notice to Remove Nuisance after finding signs of rats on site. Media reports have also highlighted rat sightings on vegetable and packaged-food shelves at the same YATA branch, as well as mouldy fruit and pest problems reported at other supermarket chains in Hong Kong
Key Points
- The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said it received a complaint on 14 October about illness after eating YATA sea urchin sashimi, then inspected the San Po Kong licensed food factory the next day
- During that inspection, officers found no abnormalities in stored food, and said food storage temperatures at the premises were maintained at normal levels
- The department also said it received a rodent complaint about the supermarket on 12 October and issued a Notice to Remove Nuisance after finding signs of rats
- YATA said about 400 boxes of sushi were sold from the concession that day, and apart from the reported case, it had received no similar complaints
- Earlier footage and reader reports described a large rat moving across shelves holding vegetables and pre-packaged foods at the San Po Kong YATA branch.
Why It Matters
The overlap between a food illness complaint and confirmed rodent signs at a supermarket raises concern about whether hygiene controls are being enforced consistently in places selling ready-to-eat food. For Hong Kong shoppers, the case also puts pressure on supermarkets and regulators to respond quickly, disclose inspection outcomes clearly, and strengthen pest prevention in food retail areas.