Putien: Those who got food poisoning at ByteDance office didn't consume our food
It was reportedly one of the caterers providing lunch that day.
By
Daniel Seow
July 31, 2024, 12:03 PM
[UPDATE at 2:00pm on Jul. 31, 2024: The article has been updated with a statement from Yun Nans.]
More details have emerged regarding the mass food poisoning case at the ByteDance office at One Raffles Quay, which saw 60 people falling ill on Jul. 30.
47 of them experienced abdominal pain and vomiting at around 3:15pm and had to be conveyed to hospital.
Chinese tech giant ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is investigating the matter.
The gastroenteritis cases are also being investigated by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH).
Putien, one of the caterers for ByteDance's canteen, is cooperating with authorities in their investigation.
Affected workers ate Chinese buffet at 26th-floor canteen
Lianhe Zaobao reported that it understands that some ByteDance employees experienced discomfort after consuming a Chinese buffet at ByteDance's canteen on the building's 26th floor.
A man surnamed Zhou (transliteration), whose friends work in ByteDance, told Zaobao that the canteen provides meals from different external caterers on weekdays.
" I heard that those who came down with food poisoning ate a Chinese buffet there, with the likes of noodles and meat. Many started vomiting and experiencing diarrhoea after 3pm, so someone called an ambulance," he said.
Another employee said that Putien and Yun Nans were among the canteen's caterers for Tuesday.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) received multiple calls for assistance at One Raffles Quay that afternoon.
17 ambulances were deployed to convey 47 people with food poisoning symptoms to hospital.
Multiple people were also treated by SCDF paramedics at a first aid point set up in the building.
Image from Lianhe Zaobao.
SFA and MOH said that 60 people reported gastroenteritis symptoms, of whom 57 have sought medical attention in hospitals.
Statements from Putien & Yun Nans
In response to Mothership's enquiries, a Putien spokesperson said,
“We understand that those affected with food poisoning symptoms did not consume the food catered by us. We are cooperating with the authorities and await the results of the investigations.”
A Yun Nans spokesperson told Zaobao that the caterer is "deeply concerned" about the food poisoning incident.
The spokesperson added that Yun Nans is working with other suppliers to provide assistance to those affected, and is also working closely with ByteDance and the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.
"We strictly comply with food safety and hygiene regulations. The health and safety of our customers remains our top priority," the spokesperson said.
Top image from Lianhe Zaobao
