TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's One & Only Artisan Bakery announced legal action against a consumer on Friday (Sept. 13) following a food safety dispute triggered by the consumer's claim of finding half a cockroach in one of their pastries.
The consumer, surnamed Tsai (蔡), took to Facebook on Wednesday (Sept. 11) to express disgust and concern that the other half of the insect might have been consumed by an elderly family member. She criticized the bakery's food safety practices, per Tsai’s Facebook post.
The incident ignited a heated online debate questioning the authenticity of Tsai's claim and the source of the insect. Many also expressed concerns about the bakery's food safety practices and the potential repercussions for both the consumer and the business, per TVBS. The baker is a well-known maker of egg yolk pastries.
A commentator suggested the insect appeared too fresh and moist to have been baked in an oven for 30 minutes. Another questioned whether the insect might have crawled into the pastry box after it was bought.
One noted that the remaining half of the insect seemed remarkably undamaged. They speculated that Tsai might be related to a competitor of the bakery or have other conflicts of interest.
Tsai subsequently added a nine-point clarification to her post on Thursday (Sept. 12), per TVBS. She explained that the roach “already looked like that” when it was discovered.
Tsai stated that she has no personal connection to the food industry, nor does she hold personal grudges against the company. She stressed that her primary goal is to raise awareness about food safety and will not seek financial compensation.
Online speculation about the appearance of the cockroach was also addressed. Tsai described how she had heated the pastry after taking it out of the refrigerator on Wednesday evening.
To avoid the pastry from bursting in the microwave, a small cut was made before heating. The pastry was then given to Tsai's mother, who noticed something unusual and upon closer examination, discovered it to be half a cockroach.
One & Only Artisan Bakery responded with its first post Friday (Sept. 13), denying the allegation. It asserted that each egg yolk pastry is completely handcrafted, so the probability of a foreign object being completely enclosed within the pastry during the production process is extremely low.
The bakery said the incident has significantly impacted its reputation. “Legal action will be taken against anyone who has fabricated or disseminated false information, or who has intentionally tampered with our product,” they said.
The bakery later disclosed in the post's comments that they had contacted Tsai. However, she was unable to provide a purchase receipt as the pastry had been a gift.
The bakery also offered to retrieve the remaining portion of the pastry and the foreign object for further investigation. Tsai expressed uncertainty about whether she could provide these items.
One & Only Artisan Bakery posted another update on Facebook Friday, including a revised statement and a statement from a law firm. The bakery's statement asserted that “the chances of a whole cockroach in an egg yolk pastry is zero.”
They also stated that they had been trying to contact Tsai since the incident was reported. However, Tsai claimed that she had not been contacted by the bakery until later.
The bakery stated that Tsai had consistently refused to communicate directly with them, instead choosing to share information about the product through media interviews. The law firm's statement confirmed that legal proceedings had been initiated in response to the incident.
In response to the controversy, Taichung's Office of Food and Drug Safety inspected the bakery's premises. The inspection found “the operating area was found to be pest-free, and random inspections of egg yolk pastries did not reveal foreign objects or insects,” per Yahoo News.
The office concluded that the bakery's operations were compliant with regulations. The bakery was guided through a thorough product quality confirmation process and effective pest control measures.
