27-3-2024 (TAIPEI) A grave food poisoning crisis has erupted around Polam Kopitiam, a popular Malaysian eatery located in Taipei’s bustling Xinyi shopping district, better known to local diners as the Far Eastern Department Store’s vegetarian restaurant. In a devastating turn of events, authorities have confirmed two fatalities, with two more patrons battling for their lives in critical condition.
The Taipei District Prosecutors Office swiftly initiated an investigation in the early hours of Wednesday, conducting a search for evidence at the restaurant premises. In a significant move that underscores the gravity of the situation, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an announced the immediate suspension of operations at all branches of the restaurant within the city limits.
Last Friday, a grim scene unfolded as a man, surnamed Lu, and a companion from New Taipei City dined at Polam Kopitiam, ordering dishes such as stir-fried rice noodles. Subsequently, both suffered severe symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and palpitations. Lu’s condition rapidly deteriorated, and he tragically succumbed to acute renal failure by Sunday afternoon.
The restaurant, part of the Polam Food & Beverage Group, has faced financial scrutiny in the recent past, with suppliers last year disclosing outstanding debts amounting to hundreds of thousands of New Taiwan dollars. The group had acknowledged its operational difficulties and vowed to address the issues earnestly at the time.
Dr. Wu Shou-mei, the Director-General of the Food and Drug Administration under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, confirmed the incident as a case of food poisoning. Inspections carried out on Sunday and Monday revealed multiple regulatory breaches, including unsanitary conditions, prompting demands for immediate rectification—though no food samples were available for testing at the time.
Further inspections on Tuesday involved the collection of ingredients such as cabbage, bean sprouts, rice noodles, mushrooms, pandan leaves, and soy sauce for analysis, with results expected within a fortnight. The probe will also extend to the manufacturers of these ingredients. Medics suspect the cause of the illnesses could be linked to ‘bacillus cereus’—a toxin typically found in rice products. However, toxicology experts advise caution, insisting on waiting for definitive lab reports before drawing conclusions.
