Bongkrek acid found on hands of Taipei eatery cook

台北餐聽廚師手上發現米酵菌酸

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Traces of a deadly toxin have been detected on the hands of the cook at a Taipei restaurant where at least 31 people have fallen ill.

The Taipei government on Tuesday (April 2) announced that traces of bongkrek acid were found on the hands of a substitute Vietnamese cook surnamed Ho (胡), reported TVBS. Toxicology expert Yang Chen-chang (楊振昌) said it is likely that the food ingredients were contaminated, leading to contamination of the hands of the staff, knives, and cutting boards.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said that samples collected from the Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam included environmental evidence, biomarkers, two knives, one cutting board, and biological traces from Ho's hands. Chiang said that on Monday evening (April 1), National Taiwan University Department of Forensic Medicine confirmed the presence of bongkrek acid, including on the cook's hands.