A serious food poisoning incident has occurred at Polam Kopitiam, a restaurant located in the Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store in Taipei, resulting in two deaths.
Among them, a 39-year-old man who ate at the restaurant on March 22 died two days later, while a 66-year-old man who ate there on March 19 died on March 27.
They are believed to have eaten char kuey teow – a stir-fried noodle dish – among other dishes at the restaurant.
Caused by bongkrek acid
The outbreak of poisoning has been traced back to bongkrek acid, an uncommon toxin that develops in fermented foods like coconut or corn when they’re infected by the bacterium Burkholderia gladioli pathovar cocovenenans.
Focus Taiwan reports that this toxin was detected on a chopping board, two knives, and the chef’s hand at the Polam Kopitiam Xinyi branch, a Malaysian restaurant chain, on March 24.
This discovery underscores the importance of strict hygiene practices in food preparation to prevent such dangerous contaminations.
Thirty individuals reported illnesses after dining at Polam Kopitam between March 19 and 24, primarily after consuming a stir-fried flat rice noodle dish known as char kway teow, according to Taipei Times.
