Zhang Qian

    zhqcindy@163.com

    A WELL-KNOWN seafood restaurant on the seafood street in Yantian District was downgraded yesterday for its unsatisfying hygiene conditions and misconduct of management and billing invoices.

    The restaurant, named Shigonghui Seafood Restaurant, was downgraded from Class-B to Class-C after a surprise inspection that the city’s food and drug administration carried out yesterday.

    Yesterday’s inspection found the restaurant had failed to meet standards in three main aspects: lack of management-level staff, dirty culinary environment and a substandard procedure for producing invoices.

    The inspection was broadcasted live on sznews.com, showing that there were no hand dryers or sterilization equipment inside the room outside of the kitchen that prepares deli snacks, which posed risks of cross-contamination.

    The sanitary condition of the kitchen was worrisome. The kitchen floor was made of wood and did not have a standard drainage system. The wall of the kitchen’s roof was peeling off, easily causing pollutants to fall into the kitchen. Dirty culinary utensils with obvious stains were piled on a table inside of the kitchen.

    After the unannounced investigation, the administration decided to downgrade the restaurant and urged it to correct all of its misconduct in no time.

    Another restaurant, located on the same street, called Donghuang Seafood Restaurant, was also inspected during yesterday’s operation. Although they had some minor problems in the kitchen, the restaurant maintained its Class-B grade.

    Based on the grading system, restaurants with excellent performance ensuring food safety are categorized as Class-A, while Class-B and Class-C restaurants are worse at ensuring food safety.

    Yesterday’s inspection was part of a 40-week-long campaign initiated by the administration, Shenzhen Media Group and sznews.com March 15.

    Each Wednesday, teams formed by inspectors from district-level food and drug administrations, members of Shenzhen Municipal People’s Congress and journalists will inspect several restaurants without informing the owners. All operations are live broadcasted.

    The inspection carried out yesterday was the fourth since the operation began. The media outlets are conducting online surveys to find out which restaurants Shenzhen residents most want inspected a week before.

    The inspection of the two restaurants was decided by a drawing out of seven candidates selected by Shenzhen residents through the online survey.