Taipei bento box store under investigation after 32 fall ill

Taipei, Sept. 25 (CNA) Taipei health officials inspected a bento box shop in the city's Nangang District on Thursday after 32 children and adults at a cram school fell ill from suspected food poisoning.

According to Lin Kuan-chen (林冠蓁), head of the Taipei Department of Health's Food and Drug Division, 61 people at the school ate meals from the shop on Friday night, and 32 later sought medical treatment for symptoms such as fever, nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea.

Lin said Thursday that the department began receiving reports from hospitals and clinics on Saturday evening, prompting officials to launch an initial inspection of the shop on Sunday.

The inspection uncovered multiple hygiene violations, such as insufficient freezer temperatures and improper storage of ingredients, according to Lin.

As a result, the shop was ordered to shut down and make improvements by Thursday, Lin said.

Food samples from the shop were also collected for laboratory testing to determine whether the incident was a case of food poisoning, Lin added.

If all violations are resolved, the shop will be allowed to resume operations. Otherwise, it will face fines ranging from NT$60,000 (US$1,956) to NT$200 million under Taiwan's Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, she said.