[Summary] "Used Broth Returned to Stock Pot" Fish Cake Soup Restaurant Allowed Reuse... Business Suspension

A scene identified by the author as the broth rinsing process. Photo by Online Community Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Jumi Lee] A restaurant in Busan suspected of reusing fish cake broth by putting it back into the stock container will face administrative sanctions.

On the 19th, Jung-gu, Busan announced, "As a result of an on-site investigation of the restaurant, it was confirmed that the broth was reused, and administrative sanctions such as business suspension will be imposed for violating the Food Sanitation Act."

On the 18th, a post appeared on the online community 'Bobaedream' claiming that during a trip to Busan, someone witnessed a scene where food that a customer had eaten was put back into the stock container and then taken out again at a restaurant.

According to the post, the author, Mr. A, ordered fish cake soup at a restaurant in Jung-gu, Busan on the 17th and saw other customers requesting to have the broth reheated.

Mr. A claimed that the restaurant staff poured the broth that customers had already consumed back into the stock container to reheat it (to reheated broth by repeatedly pouring hot broth over noodles or other food) and then served it back to the customers.

To verify the fact, Mr. A requested to have his own food reheated, and filmed the staff putting the food into the stock container and then taking it out again before serving it back.

The video capture photo posted along with the post shows a staff member ladling the broth.

However, since it was not a video, the full context could not be clearly understood.

Mr. A explained, "I doubted my eyes and asked them to reheat my food as well, and sure enough, they poured the broth directly into the stock container to reheat it," adding, "I paid immediately and told them this was unacceptable, but they explained that 'it’s not something that was eaten, so it’s okay.'"

Jung-gu officials stated, "The on-site investigation confirmed that the online post was true, and the owner admitted it," adding, "We plan to suspend the business for 15 days and file a police complaint as early as the 20th."

Meanwhile, last month, a video showing the reuse of leftover radish kimchi (kkakdugi) at a pork soup restaurant in Dong-gu, Busan caused controversy.

At that time, Dong-gu Office imposed a 15-day business suspension for violating the Food Sanitation Act and filed a criminal complaint against the restaurant.