From Bunsikjip to McDonald's... Consumers Anxious Amid Repeated Hygiene Controversies

Photo by Manyeokimbap Instagram (left), Getty Image Bank (right)

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Yeeun] Recently, consumer anxiety has been growing as food-related issues such as reusing ingredients in restaurants or improper storage have been spreading.

Earlier, on the 29th and 30th of last month, 102 customers who visited the Cheongdam-dong Manyeo Gimbap A branch located in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province, showed symptoms of food poisoning. Subsequently, 97 patients with similar symptoms were reported at the nearby B branch.

Among the two gimbap establishments where multiple food poisoning symptom cases were reported, one was known to have received administrative guidance from the city due to hygiene complaints raised in August last year.

According to Seongnam City Council member Lee Ki-in of the People Power Party, who confirmed with Bundang District Office, the branch filed a new business registration in May last year, and in August of the same year, a hygiene complaint was filed stating "employees cooked food without wearing gloves or touched the trash bin."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Food-related issues were not limited to this. Suspicions of ingredient reuse also arose at the major franchise 'McDonald's.'

Earlier, at a McDonald's store in Seoul, allegations surfaced that expired bread and other items were reused by placing date stickers over the original expiration dates to disguise them as still valid.

This situation was revealed through a whistleblower's report based on footage filmed inside the McDonald's kitchen, and McDonald's imposed a three-month suspension on the part-time employee involved at the store.

Subsequently, the 'Committee to Urge Social Responsibility from McDonald's,' composed of the Justice Party, the Part-time Workers' Union, and other political and civil society groups, demanded a full investigation into the 'sticker swapping' at McDonald's and the establishment of measures to prevent recurrence.

They held a press conference on the 19th in front of Korea McDonald's Ltd. in Jongno-gu, stating, "Although the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety recently investigated McDonald's, there is criticism that it was a superficial investigation," and warned, "If a proper investigation is not conducted this time, a second 'hamburger disease' incident or a third 'sticker swapping' will continue to recur."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.