Repeated Hygiene Scandals Erode Trust Across China
A scene showing frozen dumplings being cooked in their plastic packaging by placing the entire bag into boiling water at a restaurant in Guangdong Province, China, has been made public, sparking controversy.
A scene at a restaurant in Guangdong Province, China, where frozen dumplings are cooked by placing the sealed packaging directly into boiling water before serving to customers. Douyin
According to Chinese media outlets such as NetEase on September 1 (local time), a video recently uploaded to the Chinese social media platform Douyin, showing Chinese-style boiled dumplings, or "Shuijiao," being cooked directly in their packaging, spread rapidly. The person who filmed the video reported witnessing this scene during a visit to a restaurant in Guangdong Province on August 30.
In the video, a restaurant employee is seen slightly tearing open the frozen dumpling bag before placing it, still covered in plastic, directly into a boiling pot. The employee then removes the entire bag with a strainer, unwraps the dumplings, places them in a bowl, adds broth and garnish, and serves them to the customer. The person who filmed the video commented, "There were also noodles in the pot," and added, "I can't even imagine how many foods have been cooked in their packaging like this."
The plastic used for frozen dumpling packaging is mostly polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP), which are materials intended for low-temperature storage. Placing them directly into boiling water can cause harmful chemicals to leach into the food. The Korea Food and Drug Administration also advises against exposing PE-based plastic to high temperatures for extended periods.
Chinese netizens who saw the video strongly criticized the practice, saying, "Aren't customers ingesting the harmful substances released when plastic is boiled?" and "The owner may have saved time, but the customers could end up getting sick." One delivery worker remarked, "Scenes of such unhygienic cooking are common. That's why I don't eat delivery food."
As the controversy grew, Chinese authorities launched an investigation into the restaurant.
Recurring Food Safety Incidents Fuel Distrust
A scene captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showing a Chinese daycare center adding art paint to meal ingredients. Photo by Pengpai News
Food safety issues like this have repeatedly occurred in China, increasing public distrust. In May, a franchise restaurant in Shanxi Province was found using a rice bowl to scoop sewage from a drain, prompting the headquarters to issue a public apology.
In July, more than 200 children and 20 staff members at a private kindergarten showed symptoms of lead poisoning after eating lunch, shocking people across China. An official investigation revealed that, under the direction of the kindergarten principal, cooks had added non-edible paint to flour dough to make bread and rice cakes for the children. The principal reportedly mixed paint into the food to make the lunch look more attractive in photos used for promotional purposes amid competition to recruit new students.
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