Live Cockroach Found in Sealed Bread... Another Hygiene Scandal in China

Cockroach Found Alive Inside Bread Bag
Ongoing Food Hygiene Controversies in China

In China, where food hygiene controversies are ongoing, a new scandal dubbed the "cockroach bread" incident has emerged. On October 26, local media outlets such as Hongxing News reported that Consumer A from Nantong, Jiangsu Province, posted a video on social media the previous day showing a bread bag containing live cockroaches, sparking a hygiene controversy. The video showed a cockroach alive inside bread sealed in transparent plastic packaging. When the consumer pressed the nitrogen-filled bread bag, the cockroach could be seen moving inside.

Consumer A from Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China, posted a video on social media (SNS) the previous day showing a bread bag containing live cockroaches. SNS

In an interview with Sina.com on October 27, the consumer explained, "I bought a box of bread online on October 22 and received it on October 24. After eating one or two bags, I took out another bag and discovered a live cockroach inside." The consumer added, "At first, I was so shocked that I froze, but after a moment, I took photos and videos as evidence."

The problematic bread was a product manufactured by Baicaowei, a popular Chinese snack brand known for items such as jujube walnut snacks, produced on September 26, 2025. The consumer immediately filed a complaint with the manufacturer's customer service center. However, the manufacturer only offered a partial refund of about half the product price if the item was returned.

When the angry consumer demanded compensation of 1,000 yuan (about 200,000 won), the manufacturer requested that the product be returned first for verification. The following day, the manufacturer replied with a general statement that, after inspecting the same product, no issues like those raised by the consumer had been found. Ultimately, the consumer posted the video on social media, which ignited a local hygiene controversy. The consumer expressed frustration, saying, "They didn't seem to recognize what the problem was. They did not sincerely apologize or show respect to the consumer."

Manufacturer Offers Compensation of About 400,000 Won and Requests Video Deletion…Consumer Refuses

As the controversy grew, the manufacturer told the media, "We have not seen cockroaches in recent years, nor have we received similar reports. The factory follows standard procedures and is managed by a professional pest control company. The production line in question is located on the third floor of the factory, and such pests typically do not reach the third floor." The manufacturer also stated, "We checked the closed-circuit TV footage of the production line and found no irregularities."

Nevertheless, the manufacturer offered the consumer compensation of 2,000 yuan (about 400,000 won) and requested the video be deleted, but the consumer refused. The consumer stated, "I rejected the manufacturer's request to delete the video after reaching a private settlement." The consumer emphasized, "From the beginning, I demanded two things: compensation of 1,000 yuan and an official apology statement regarding the product quality issue and consumer inconvenience. I will cooperate with the recall of the problematic bread only after both demands are met."

Consumer A from Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China, posted a video on social media (SNS) the previous day showing a bread bag containing live cockroaches. SNS

However, after posting the video, the consumer added that, following advice from social media users to preserve evidence, when opening the bread box to properly store the problematic bread, the cockroach had already torn through the bread bag and escaped. Nevertheless, the consumer argued, "The photo and video evidence remain unaffected and, in fact, prove that the cockroach was alive." The manufacturer stated that it would investigate the cause and take follow-up action as soon as the consumer returned the problematic bread.

Meanwhile, food hygiene controversies continue to surface in China. Previously, at a pickled cabbage processing plant in Huludao, Liaoning Province, a worker was caught handling cabbage with a cigarette in his mouth, spitting on the floor where the pickled cabbage was placed, and rubbing it with his foot, prompting authorities to launch an investigation. Huludao authorities stated that all of the problematic pickled cabbage would be confiscated and destroyed.