Update | Ratted out: mouse pictured dangling off Hong Kong supermarket’s deli counter sparks hygiene concerns
A viral photo of a small mouse scampering near cooked meals sold at a Hong Kong supermarket has triggered larger concerns about hygiene and food safety in the city’s grocery stores.
The rodent was found by a shopper at a Taste supermarket’s cooked-food counter in Tuen Mun, according to reports, and she was so taken aback that she posted a snap of it on Facebook on Saturday.
The mouse, with brown fur and a long tail, was seen crouched on the edge of open containers with vegetables and grilled pork.
While others dubbed the incident as “Mickey Mouse on vacation”, many Facebook users expressed disgust and anxiety over hygiene in the city. Some users vowed never to eat meals from supermarket food stalls again.
Some users alleged they had previously seen cockroaches and rotting fruit at the same supermarket chain.
Taste's public relations department told the Post that it was aware of the Facebook post and is "very concerned about it".
"However, we have not received related complaint at the moment. We are following up the case and hope that the customer could contact us," the company said.
"Hygiene is our top priority. The store has regular cleaning and our Quality Assurance team inspects the store regularly. We also appoint pest control professionals to conduct regular pest control in store," it added.
This is not the first time the city has dealt with food safety scares.
In May earlier this year, a mouse was discovered in a fridge alongside many cold drinks in a convenience store.
And in March, a seasoned chef got a nasty surprise when he cut into a piece of prime pork only to discover a thumb-sized pus-filled cyst which exploded in his face.