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No inkling it was squid? Hong Kong restaurant owner in hot water over ‘abalone’ breakfast without key ingredient

  • Director of cha chaan teng in Tai Po accused of supplying food with false trade descriptions after customs mounts test-buy operation
  • Investigation finds ingredient used in abalone breakfast dishes was actually squid

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Abalone forms part of the name of some traditional Hong Kong dishes, but restaurants may have done away with the prized ingredient to lower costs. Photo: Shutterstock

The owner of a restaurant in Hong Kong was arrested on Tuesday after an undercover customs operation found it had actually used squid for its “abalone” breakfast on the menu.

The 47-year-old woman, who runs the cha chaan teng in Tai Po, was accused of supplying food with false trade descriptions, an offence carrying a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a HK$500,000 fine, according to the Customs and Excise Department.

Authorities mounted a test-buy operation after receiving information alleging that the restaurant was suspected of serving fake abalone meals. A customs officer, posing as a customer, had bought two sets of breakfast – “abalone and ham macaroni” and “abalone and ham omelette”.

Samples of the dishes were then sent to a government laboratory.

“[Upon examination it was] confirmed the ingredient that was claimed to be abalone in the two dishes was actually squid, different from what had been declared,” the department said.

A law enforcement source said the abalone breakfast meals cost less than HK$40 each and diners might have already known the dishes did not contain the prized item.

“However, abalone was stated as the ingredient on the restaurant’s menu. This is in breach of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance,” he said.

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