【Food Safety Incident】Mainland Sushi Aro: Municipal Administration Bureau Test Results Show No Parasites Detected

Japan’s Chain Sushi Restaurant “Sushiro” Recently Involved in Food Safety Controversy in Mainland China, Allegedly Serving Tuna Sushi Covered with Suspected Parasite Eggs. The Local Market Supervision Bureau Intervened and Launched an Investigation After Receiving Reports. Sushiro Issued a Statement on Monday (23rd) Responding that they have learned the investigation results from the Market Supervision Bureau, which showed no parasites detected, meeting national food safety standards.

Sushiro stated that after the incident, they took corresponding measures, including initiating an internal investigation immediately, verifying the supply chain documents and food safety testing certificates for the affected batch; cooperating with the Market Supervision Bureau’s investigation; and actively communicating with concerned customers, respecting their legal rights, and properly handling related requests.

Sushiro’s Parent Company Shares Drop Over 50% in a Day

On March 2nd, some netizens uploaded a video claiming that they queued for nearly 3 hours at a branch in Mentougou District, Beijing on March 1st. During their meal, they found a piece of tuna sushi covered with numerous white spots, suspected to be parasite eggs, which shocked them.

The local Market Supervision Bureau reported that officials had inspected the site, preserved evidence from the remaining tuna chunks in the store, and vowed to firmly protect consumers’ legal rights and strictly investigate illegal and irregular behaviors according to law.

Following this incident, Sushiro’s parent company Food & Life Companies (Stock Code: 3563) saw its stock price plummet on March 6th, dropping to a low of 8,452 yen during trading, a decline of 14%, the largest in over three months. It closed at 9,260 yen, down 5.3%. However, the stock gradually stabilized afterward.

An internal media outlet interviewed Ms. Li, the customer involved, on March 8th. She stated that, with the intervention of market supervision officials, Sushiro ultimately compensated her with 3,004 RMB, emphasizing that it was a “compensation for an unpleasant dining experience.”

Sushiro: The Affected Tuna Meets National Food Safety Standards

Sushiro stated that they have learned the investigation results from the Market Supervision Bureau. Based on the “National Food Safety Standard for Animal Aquatic Products” (GB 10136-2015) and the parasite inspection methods for ready-to-eat raw animal aquatic products, they conducted on-site sampling and testing of the same batch of tuna products sold at the store on that day. The test results showed no parasites detected, meeting national food safety standards.

Regarding the ingredients, Sushiro carefully selects compliant and high-quality varieties, and enforces strict processing and transportation procedures, including ultra-low temperature freezing at -50°C, to meet industry standards for parasite inactivation.

Sushiro expressed that any unpleasant sensory experiences during dining, such as customer discomfort, are due to service quality shortcomings. They apologized and are conducting self-inspections and improvements.