Outrage in China as alarming reports surface of human teeth found in sausages, dim sum
Multiple incidents have led to speculation that factory workers may have inadvertently lost their artificial teeth during production
Multiple instances of diners discovering human teeth in food have reignited food safety concerns in China.
On October 13, a woman reported finding a row of three artificial human teeth in a sausage she bought for her child in northeastern China’s Jilin province. She bought the grilled sausage from an outdoor stall. Initially, the vendor denied that the teeth were present when the sausage was sold but later apologised after local market supervision authorities became involved.
On the same day, another woman reported that her father found two human teeth in dim sum at a branch of Sanjin Soup Dumplings, a renowned local dim sum chain in Dongguan City, southern Guangdong province. She confirmed that the teeth did not belong to her father.
The restaurant stated that all its dumplings are supplied directly by the company’s headquarters and could not clarify the origin of the teeth. An investigation into this case is ongoing.
On October 14, a customer discovered an artificial human tooth embedded in a jujube and walnut cake she bought at a Shanghai branch of Sam’s Club. She recognised it as artificial due to the visible metal screw.
Sam’s Club, a membership-only warehouse retail store with over 50 branches in more than 20 cities across China, is often associated with high-quality and safe food products. The cake is priced at 27.8 yuan (US$4) for a 520-gram box.
A staff member at the branch expressed shock over the incident, insisting that the food produced at the factory “should not have such problems.”
The customer returned the next day to assert her rights and stated that the store offered her 1,000 yuan (US$140) in compensation for the defective cake. They requested she sign a receipt for the compensation but denied her request to photograph it.
Under China’s Food Safety Law, companies that produce or sell food not meeting safety standards must compensate consumers 10 times the food’s price or three times the consumer’s losses due to the issue. If the compensation amount is lower than 1,000 yuan, that sum is the minimum.
The woman chose to decline the compensation, citing “their attitude was wrong.”
The market supervision department of Shanghai Pudong New District has reportedly launched an investigation into the matter.
This is not the first occurrence of an artificial tooth found in products sold at Sam’s Club. In 2022, a woman reported that her uncle discovered three teeth in Sam’s Club’s signature Swiss roll, bought from the brand’s store in Xiamen, located in southeastern Fujian province.
Previous incidents have typically concluded with customers reaching compromises with food sellers, without any published investigation results from authorities.
Each time similar cases arise, speculation runs wild, with some wondering if human meat has been inadvertently mixed into the food.
“I hope it is not the horror story of mixing human meat into the ingredients,” one user commented on social media.
Others speculated that factory workers might have accidentally lost their artificial teeth during food production.
“I am really worried about food safety here,” another user expressed.
Yet another user remarked: “I cannot fathom why there are so many such cases, as factories normally use X-ray machines to inspect their food to prevent incidents like these.”
Chinese man returns to terminally ill ex, vows to stay even if she cannot speak or walk
Fusheng appears on Cheng’s doorstep seven years after their break-up, declaring his willingness to give up everything to be with her
A Chinese man has returned to his first love after learning about her rare disease, which has begun to manifest symptoms, touching many online.
A July video featuring the man, known as Fusheng, making a heartfelt confession of love to Cheng Aixiao, in their hometown in eastern China’s Fujian province, quickly went viral.
Cheng suffers from hereditary ataxia, a disorder that results in muscular dystrophy and leads to uncoordinated movements, as well as difficulties with walking and facial expressions.
Her mother was diagnosed with the same condition at the age of 23, shortly after giving birth to her. Cheng witnessed her mother’s struggle with the illness throughout her childhood, which tragically ended when her mother died while she was in secondary school.
Cheng has often worried about inheriting her mother’s illness. After experiencing difficulty standing still following a jump in secondary school, she recognised that the condition might be her inevitable fate.
Upon turning 23, Cheng’s symptoms began to escalate. Now 25, she requires assistance to walk even short distances and frequently loses control of her facial expressions.
She stated that most individuals with this disease ultimately become paralysed and lose their ability to communicate, often succumbing to respiratory failure.
While the condition is incurable, Cheng remains hopeful for future breakthroughs and wishes to endure longer in anticipation of effective treatments.
Cheng’s father, a factory worker, has cared for her as he once did for her mother for over a decade. In an effort to alleviate his burden, Cheng became a make-up vlogger, seeking to earn some income online.
Fusheng, her high school sweetheart, learned about her condition through friends. He recalled that Cheng had mentioned her disease when they were together, but he was too young at the time to grasp its full implications.
After they both enrolled in universities in different cities, they separated. When Fusheng stood at her doorstep once again, they had been apart for seven years.
Fusheng recalled the moment Cheng saw him and smiled widely as she always had. At that moment, he resolved to give up everything to return to her, determined that she would not have to endure her struggles alone.
Currently, Fusheng works at a company during the day and delivers food in the evenings to finance Cheng’s treatment. He takes just two days off each month, using all his free time to spend quality moments with Cheng.
“If we do not have tomorrow, I want to cherish every today that I spend with you,” he professed his love to Cheng.
“Even if you cannot speak or walk one day, it is OK, because when your eyes are on me, I know you love me,” he said through tears, inspiring many others online to weep as well.
Fusheng expressed his readiness to accompany Cheng on her “last journey” together.
“Despite the inevitable hardships that await them and knowing they are destined to part, he still returned to stand by her. He is a real man,” one commenter stated.
“I hope our medical technologies can achieve breakthroughs soon, so that Fusheng and Aixiao can share more time together,” another remarked.
