Not the best way to cut costs.
A dead deer was discovered in the freezer of a Chinese restaurant, raising concerns as this isn’t the first incident related to health code breaches at this establishment.
The unsettling find emerged after a Facebook user made a now-deleted post alleging that staff at Louisiana’s China Queen were seen skinning a dead animal behind the restaurant, as reported by KALB 5 on April 22.
Local police responded and were shown a photo by a witness of a male employee with blood on his hands, according to a statement from the Pineville Police Department.
A deer carcass was subsequently found stored alongside other food items in the restaurant’s freezer.
The employee claimed he had discovered the deer on the side of the road around 10 a.m. and intended to make soup from it.
“Officers at the scene were unable to confirm if the meat was meant for personal use or for customers,” the police noted.
This incident has spurred investigations by the Louisiana Department of Health and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
“While it’s not unusual to eat deer in Louisiana, state law forbids the possession of roadkill without prior authorization from law enforcement. Additionally, mishandling and improper storage of wild game can lead to serious health hazards due to rapid bacterial growth,” a spokesperson for the Pineville Police Department explained.
The restaurant later issued a sign on its front door apologizing, asserting that it never intended to serve roadkill to its customers, as captured in photos by KALB.
“We regret the recent situation. The item in question was not meant for customer service, but was stored incorrectly,” the note stated.
The announcement also mentioned that the restaurant has been collaborating with health officials and has updated its procedures to prevent future occurrences.
According to Louisiana law, taking roadkill is illegal without permission from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
“Possessing deer without consent is akin to having roadkill, constituting a Class 4 offense in Louisiana,” commented Bradley Breland from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
He added that China Queen could face fines up to $950 and possible jail time of 120 days, depending on how serious the violation is.
This isn’t the first time the restaurant has clashed with health inspectors.
A health check conducted on April 1 revealed multiple “serious” violations, including storing chemicals above food items, according to reports.
All violations were addressed by the time health officials returned on April 8.
