In November last year, the owner of Samurai Bowl on Colombo St, Xinchen Liu, pleaded guilty to a charge under the Food Act for trading in food that was subject to a recall because of unsafe levels of staphylococcus aureus (s. aureus) bacteria found in some frozen ramen meals.
The bacteria was found during routine testing at Samurai Bowl.
Liu was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court on Tuesday, April 8, after being prosecuted by NZFS.
"The bacteria found in the food can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea," NZFS Acting Deputy Director-General Jenny Bishop said.
"The consequences can be serious for people with compromised immune systems. Food recalls are conducted to protect consumers from potential harm.
"People rightly expect food businesses sell food that is safe and suitable."
NZFS, which sits within the Ministry for Primary Industries, was notified of the find as required under the Food Act.
The bacteria discovery led to the recall on June 1, 2019, of all frozen Samurai Bowl ramen meals made since Liu had taken over the business.
Liu confirmed the recall had gone ahead, providing evidential pictures to food safety officers and the recall was closed off in August 2019 by NZFS.
But instead of returning the recalled food, Liu kept it frozen, Bishop said.
"Most people do the right thing, but Ms Liu didn’t do as she claimed and stored the meals in freezers.
"Some of them were defrosted and made available to staff.
"Miso Soup and meat from recalled meals was also served to customers at her restaurant.
"This was deliberate and reckless behaviour and Ms Liu’s actions had potential to cause sickness and health risk for a number of customers," Bishop says.
Liu was handed six months’ home detention for the food safety charge and an unrelated matter.
In 2021, Liu denied a migrant was working at her premises, even though immigration officers found they were working as a chef.
Immigration New Zealand national manager of investigations Jason Perry said Liu told an immigration officer the migrant had a visa and could work but she knew that was not true.
"Breaching immigration law and knowingly supplying false or misleading information to immigration officials will not be tolerated and anyone doing so will be held to account," Perry said.
- APL
