A CITYWIDE inspection has been launched on hotpot restaurants after a well-known Chong-qing-style hotpot restaurant was reported to have violated food safety laws, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported Friday.

    Dongzizhang Hotpot’s Meilin outlet on Meilin Food Street was raided by the city’s food and drug administration June 23, shortly after a TV program reported that the restaurant illegally reproduced and served used hotpot oil in its restaurant.

    The Daily said a criminal investigation against the restaurant is underway by the Futian District police authority.

    The popular Chongqing-style hotpot restaurant was first reported to have illegally produced and served used hotpot oil after an undercover investigation on a local TV program.

    An inspection team with the food and drug administration discovered tools used to recycle used oil, including a stainless steel barrel and a screener.

    Based on footage aired on the TV program, the food and drug bureau charged the restaurant with violating restaurant service and food safety supervision regulations.

    The citywide inspection targeted restaurants include hotpot places, where oil are in huge demand. The inspection mainly focused on source and storage of ingredients, the making of the hotpot soup, use of edible oil and management of kitchen waste.

    Local media reports also revealed the process Dongzizhang used to recycle oil.

    The first step is screening, when used oil will be poured through a screener into a stainless steel barrel, which removes things other guests may have left in the oil like toothpicks and tissues.

    The second step is removing anything that wasn’t screened out, such as chili peppers, vegetables and minced meat. Soup, spices and butter will later be put into the used hotpot oil to cover bad smells. (Zhang Xiaoyi)