Numerous employees at ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, have been hospitalized as a result of a food poisoning incident in Singapore. This event, which took place on Tuesday, affected 60 staff who exhibited symptoms of gastroenteritis.
Report has it that 57 received medical treatment in a hospital. Authorities in health and food safety are currently investigating the root cause of the outbreak.
A representative from ByteDance confirmed the situation by stating, “We place utmost importance on the health and safety of our employees and have taken immediate action to assist all affected individuals, including collaborating with emergency services to provide necessary care. We are conducting an investigation and cooperating with relevant authorities in this matter.” It should be noted that ByteDance does not personally handle the preparation or cooking of meals at its premises, but rather relies on third-party caterers for this purpose.
In response to the incident, seventeen ambulances were dispatched to ByteDance’s office building located in Singapore’s central business district to aid those who had fallen ill. The Singapore Food Agency, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, emphasized, “Food establishments must adhere to proper food safety protocols.
The SFA stands ready to take enforcement actions against any food operators found to be in violation.” ByteDance, established in 2012 by Chinese entrepreneurs, initially gained significant success with the launch of the short video platform Douyin in China. A year later, a modified version of Douyin known as TikTok has gained popularity with over a billion active users globally. TikTok is operated by a limited liability company with headquarters in Singapore and Los Angeles, ultimately owned by ByteDance. It is worth noting that TikTok is not accessible in China.
