A diner found a black centipede scooped from the pot and feared the broth was contaminated; the operator said the premises were fully sanitized and the broth remade.

(Singapore, Jan 20) A diner in Singapore raised concerns after allegedly finding a black centipede in a bowl of ban mian soup, fearing the entire pot of broth may have been “contaminated.” The operator of the noodle stall said the premises were fully cleaned and disinfected, and the broth was discarded and remade.

Ms Qiu, 43, told Shin Min Daily News that she visited a noodle shop at The Seletar Mall last Wednesday (Jan 14) at around 7pm. She ordered a bowl of ban mian priced at S$5.50 for her two children, aged 10 and 8.

As she was about to divide the noodles into two smaller bowls, she noticed an unusual object while scooping. Photos she provided show what appears to be a black centipede about 4cm long in the bowl.

Ms Qiu said she lodged a complaint with the staff and received a refund. According to her, the staff mentioned that the supervisor was not present and no further action was taken on the spot. She also said she expected the entire pot of soup to be discarded immediately but did not see that happen, prompting her to contact management the next day.

Responding to queries, the operator said it was aware of the incident and stressed its commitment to food safety. A spokesperson stated that the food preparation area was thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, the existing broth was disposed of and remade, and an internal review of hygiene and food-handling procedures was conducted.

The operator added that it could not determine how the object ended up in the bowl and noted that no other similar feedback has been received so far. It said customer safety remains its top priority and it will continue to monitor the situation closely.