Taichung barbecue restaurant to be fined for using expired food items

Taipei, April 14 (CNA) Emperor, a Japanese-style barbecue restaurant in Taichung, will be fined for using expired food items in its dishes, the city government said Sunday.

The problematic food ingredients included fermented bean paste, beef, miso and cold noodles, according to the Taichung Office of Food and Drug Safety, which conducted an inspection last week based on a tip-off.

According to a recent photo shared online by a whistleblowing employee, the beef used by the restaurant had an expiration date of Nov. 6 last year.

The restaurant will be fined between NT$60,000-NT$200 million (US$1,850-US$6.2 million) for violating the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, the office said in a statement.

The restaurant in the city's Xitun District boasted the use of premium Wagyu beef sourced directly from Japan, offering a set meal priced at nearly NT$4,000.