Rat heads in student meals cause stir in China

"Strange object" found in student's lunch plate sparks controversy in China.

SCMP SCREENSHOT

The People's Daily , the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, published an editorial on June 18 criticizing grassroots officials after a task force concluded that the "foreign object" in a student's lunch plate was a rat's head.

The article argues that the incident demonstrates the failure of local officials to address problems, their lack of legal knowledge, and their lack of awareness of the power of the internet and public opinion.

"Failure to address problems will only lead to bigger problems. The more the truth is concealed, the more crises of trust will occur," the article states.

Previously, a student at Jiangxi Polytechnic Industrial College in Nanchang City (Jiangxi Province) posted a video on June 1st showing "an object with teeth, eyes, and a nose" in a plate of rice from the school cafeteria.

The school repeatedly denied the incident and posted a notice from the local market supervision agency stating that the "strange object" was a "duck neck." Another video posted online showed an inspector in Nanchang agreeing with the conclusion that it was a "duck neck."

The incident sparked public concern about food safety, and netizens called for an investigation. "Anyone can easily tell what it is from the picture," one person commented.

The provincial inspectors then investigated and concluded that the initial assessment of it as a "duck neck" was incorrect. "Based on the photos and videos recorded by the students, the country's leading animal experts concluded that it was the head of a rodent," according to the inspection report.

The report stated that the canteen staff had disposed of the foreign object, so the provincial inspectors' conclusions were based on field research, surveillance footage, and interviews with witnesses, including canteen staff and students.

Additionally, the report stated that the canteen owner involved in the incident of the plate of rice containing a rat's head had their business license revoked and faced the maximum fine, but did not provide further details.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/dau-chuot-trong-suat-an-sinh-vien-gay-xon-xao-tai-trung-quoc-185230618205147654.htm