Health Dept. Inspects All of Zhongshan Road Shopping Area; Breakfast Shop Ordered Closed

[Staff Report / Reporter Chou Shih-chang, North District]

Following this paper's report yesterday of a suspected food poisoning case at a breakfast shop on Zhongshan Road, the North District health department said it inspected the shop yesterday, and ordered it closed for three days from today for a full inspection.

Inspectors arrived yesterday morning and examined the griddle, refrigerator and food storage, taking samples of cooking oil and meat for testing. Results will take about two weeks. The shop must be fully cleaned and disinfected while closed.

The department also said it will conduct a special two-month inspection of every food business in the Zhongshan Road shopping area starting this month.

Inspections will cover staff health checks, the source and storage of ingredients, and how often cooking oil is changed. Businesses found lacking will be given a deadline to improve and penalized if they fail to.

Borough chief Chang Chin-shui welcomed the attention from the authorities. "There are too many food places on this street. Somebody should have looked into it long ago."

The shop did not say much about the closure order, only that it would comply with the health department.