A Hong Kong McDonald’s has succeeded in getting thrown out of court a case brought by a man who allegedly found more than 20 maggots in his hamburger.
The case — chewed over today at the West Kowloon magistrates’ court — centered on one meaty issue, according to a report by Apple Daily.
That is: When exactly did the bugs get in the burger?
The complaint was brought by Lam Wing-gui, an MTR maintenance worker who claimed he got a nasty surprise after picking up two hamburgers from a McDonald’s outlet in the Luk Yeung Galleria shopping mall in Tsuen Wan in September.
The burgers in question are believed to be TABASCO onion ring Angus beef burgers that were part of McDonald’s signature collection (mmmm … onion rings), and were only available for a limited period from September.
Lam brought the burgers back to a depot in Tsuen Wan, happily tucked into the first, and then opened the bag containing the second.
At first glance, Lam and his colleagues thought the burger had been given a dusting of sesame seeds until he remembered that the first burger did not have any sesame seeds, the court heard.
Then they saw them — or so they said — 20 to 30 maggots squirming in the snack.
Lam then filmed the burger and filed a complaint to McDonald’s and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
According to Ming Pao, FEHD officers inspected the McDonald’s branch the following day, and found no problems concerning hygeine, insects, or pests.
MHK Restaurants Ltd, which operates McDonald’s restaurants in Hong Kong, was charged with providing “food not of the quality demanded by the purchaser.”
The defense lawyers, however, said there was no proof that the maggots were in the burger at the time it was sold, as it wasn’t inspected by Lam while at the restaurant.
They argued that a fly could have entered the gap in the burger box and given birth while Lam enjoyed his first burger. The miracle of life, beautiful.
The judge, according to hk01, agreed that it hadn’t been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the larvae were in the burger when it was sold.
According to the website, McDonald’s in Hong Kong thanked the court’s impartial ruling and said that it would continue to implement comprehensive food safety guidelines.
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