'Alive and wriggling': Woman disgusted after finding worm on sashimi from Don Don Donki

[UPDATE: Feb 14]

In response to AsiaOne's queries, Don Don Donki said that as parasites naturally thrive in aquatic environments, it is "not uncommon to find these in wild-caught fresh fishes and seafood".

The Japanese chain shared that proper cold chain management are maintained and visual checks are conducted throughout the handling process at the supermarket.

"While we have made our best attempts to remove [parasites], we may not be able to remove them entirely if they are deeply embedded in the flesh," said Don Don Donki.

They also said that as a cautionary measure, advisories are also placed near the product displays to raise awareness of such occurrences.

The Japanese chain said that they are currently in touch with the customer.

Risk of contracting parasitic diseases: SFA

Speaking to AsiaOne, Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said that Ready-To-Eat (RTE) raw fish is considered a high-risk food as it does not go through a cooking process.

Additionally, besides microbiological contamination, the consumption of RTE raw fish also carries a risk of contracting parasitic diseases.

"Nevertheless, through a joint responsibility approach to food safety, the risk of foodborne illness from eating RTE raw fish can be reduced," said SFA.

"Consumers who choose to eat RTE raw fish should be aware of the risks involved. As a general precaution, vulnerable people with lower immunity systems such as pregnant women, children and the elderly, or people with chronic diseases such as diabetes, should not consume raw fish."

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They had been happily tucking into their kaisen don from Don Don Donki when they realised that something was not right. 

Upon closer inspection, Jayice Tan and her husband made a grisly discovery — there was a live worm on their raw fish. 

Horrified, she took to Facebook last Wednesday (Feb 8) to advise others to check their food properly before eating it. 

"Do open your eyes big big before you put food into your mouth, you never know what goes in [sic]," she warned.

Tan shared that the couple had visited Don Don Donki's 100am Mall outlet on Feb 8, where they shared a serving of kaisen don between them. 

While they were almost done with their food, they "spotted something unusual on the raw fish". 

They continued to observe the foreign object before realising that it was "alive and wriggling" 

"We were so astounded! What's worse is that we've both eaten and [almost finished our food]," said Tan, adding that this is the couple's first time encountering a "parasitic worm" in their food. 

"Hope we [both don't] get our health into serious trouble after this encounter." 

In the comments, one netizen pointed out that raw food will always have parasites while another warned that those who eat raw food should understand the risks when doing so. 

AsiaOne has reached out to Tan, Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and Don Don Donki for more details. 

According to SFA, if you come across poor hygiene practices in food establishments, you are advised to provide feedback to the agency on their website for follow-up investigations. 

Offered 90 cents refund after finding worm in yong tau foo

Last August, another woman discovered worms in two bowls of yong tau foo that she had ordered from Rivervale Plaza via Foodpanda. 

"Received two additional ingredients. Lost my appetite," she said. 

She had approached a Foodpanda customer service officer for help and was offered a compensation voucher for $2 to make up for the incident. 

However, as she wanted a refund, she rejected the voucher. 

After some back and forth, she was finally given two options — to accept a refund amount of $4.80 to her Pandapay wallet along with a compensation voucher of $1, or to have $4.80 refunded to her original source of payment made by her credit card along with a compensation voucher of $2

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melissateo@asiaone.com

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