Customer discovers 'creepy crawlies' in herbs pack from Chinatown medical hall

It is said to be good for your health.

But insects are not supposed to be part of the ingredients.

The Shi Quan Da Bu Decoction Tonic is meant for "harmonising qi flow and blood circulation, invigorating spleen and stomach function" as well as to "nourish whole body system".

But what a Stomp contributor found in the pack of herbs she purchased to make the tonic was less than "harmonising".

"I discovered creepy crawlies in my pack bought from Teck Yin Soon Chinese Medical Hall in Chinatown," she said.

The Stomp contributor shared a video of an insect moving inside the pack of herbs.

"I called to ask for an exchange and they said it was because of storage issues. They said there was a disclaimer that I should keep it frozen and it was because of the hot weather, hence bugs went in.

"But they kept it in the open as well. And when they close shop for the day, it is as good as me keeping it in the cabinet.

"Most importantly, I haven't even opened the packet."

She told Stomp: "I know bugs in natural ingredients like this are normal, but the way they managed this situation was unacceptable.

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"If they even refused an exchange for this cheap item, then what about those people who unwittingly bought bug-infested goods that are worth more?"

In response to a Stomp query, a Teck Yin Soon spokesman said: "The customer claimed that she bought the item for two weeks and kept it at room temperature.

"The goods we placed on the shelves are sold on a daily basis. We are able to sell four to five packs of the items daily. So there's no need to put them in the fridge, but the customer is not able to boil the soup or use the herbs on a daily basis. So to ensure the freshness of the item, they have to be stored in the fridge.

"I did say to give her a S$2 voucher for the item she bought for S$6.80 because she didn't store the item in the fridge, but she insisted I had to give her a full refund as we sold her the item as fresh, not bug-infested.

"As a seller, we won't sell items that are not fresh as we have to maintain our reputation too.

"I did explain to her nicely, but she refused to listen."

This article was first published in Stomp. Permission required for reproduction.