Hanwoo Ugeoji Gukbap from Yeonbok Lee's Brand 'The Mokran'
Sales Suspended and Recall Ordered Due to Excessive Bacteria and E. coli Detected
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has ordered a recall and sales suspension of the 'Hanwoo Gukbap' product sold under chef Yeonbok Lee's brand 'The Mokran' after excessive levels of E. coli were detected.
According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 16th, the instant meal product 'Yeonbok Lee's Bokjumeoni Korean Beef Ugeoji Soup', manufactured by Nolda Food, a food manufacturing and processing company based in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, and distributed by The Mokran, was found to be non-compliant with standards for bacteria and E. coli. As a result, a recall has been initiated.
Chef Yeonbok Lee (left) and the discontinued product 'Yeonbok Lee's Bokjumeoni Korean Beef Ugeoji Soup'. Photo by Yonhap News Agency and Ministry of Food and Drug Safety
The recalled product comes in 800g packages with a consumption deadline of July 7, 2026. The Ministry has requested Namyangju City to halt sales of the product and is currently proceeding with the recall. The Ministry also urged consumers who purchased the product to stop consuming it and return it to the place of purchase.
Chef Yeonbok Lee, a well-known Chinese cuisine chef and TV personality, has been operating the Chinese restaurant 'Mokran' in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul since 1998, and has been selling various instant meal products under the 'The Mokran' brand.
Meanwhile, as the summer season begins in earnest, special caution is required due to a series of food poisoning incidents. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, an average of 99 cases of food poisoning (with a provisional patient count of 2,481) occurred each summer (June to August) over the past five years (2020-2024). During this period, Salmonella was the most common cause of bacterial food poisoning with 20 cases, followed by pathogenic E. coli (18 cases), and Campylobacter jejuni (9 cases).
The Ministry emphasized that the summer season is a time when bacterial food poisoning caused by Salmonella and pathogenic E. coli, which can lead to vomiting, abdominal pain, fever, and diarrhea, occurs frequently. Restaurants and other food establishments should pay particular attention to the handling and preparation of ingredients, as well as personal hygiene. When cooking meat or poultry, it is important to ensure that Salmonella and pathogenic E. coli, which are sensitive to heat, are completely destroyed by cooking thoroughly (core temperature of 75°C for at least 1 minute).
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
