Chef questioned in Taipei food poisoning deaths

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The investigation into a food poisoning case at restaurant Polam Kopitiam continued on Friday (March 29), with a 25-year-old chef claiming he was only filling in and that all ingredients were purchased by the owner.

The incident at the Polam Kopitiam, located in the Far Eastern Department Store in Taipei's Xinyi District, has resulted in two deaths and five severe illnesses.

A post-mortem report released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare the previous day revealed the presence of Bongkrek acid in the victims' bodies. The chef on duty during the incident, a 25-year-old Vietnamese surnamed Hsu, reiterated that he was only covering for someone else and that all ingredients were procured by the owner.

Hsu usually works at the Polam Kopitiam branch at Breeze Taipei Station but was assigned to the Xinyi branch due to renovations at his usual workplace. He was in charge of the kitchen from March 18 to 26.

During the investigation, Hsu stated that he cooked normally during his nine consecutive days of work without using any special spices or ingredients. If there were shortages, the owner would order the necessary supplies.

After questioning, Hsu was transferred to the Taipei District Prosecutor's Office on suspicion of manslaughter and violations of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. After a re-examination, he was released without bail but is prohibited from leaving the nation.

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