TikTok headquarters hit by major food poisoning as 57 staff are hospitalized

Dozens of staff at the Singapore office of TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, have been hospitalised after a suspected food poisoning outbreak.

Health and food safety officials in the city-state are investigating the incident, which left 60 people with symptoms of gastroenteritis on Tuesday. Fifty-seven of them were treated in hospital.

ByteDance has also said it is looking into what caused its employees to fall ill.

“We take the health and safety of our employees very seriously and have taken immediate steps to support all affected employees, including working with emergency services to provide care,” a ByteDance spokesperson told the BBC.

“We are investigating the matter and are working with the relevant authorities on this.”

The Singapore Civil Defence Force sent 15 ambulances to the scene, according to local news outlet Lianhe Zaobao. Fire engines were also said to be on standby.

Lainhe Zaobao reported that a Chinese buffet had been served at ByteDance’s canteen, at its premises in Singapore’s business district on Tuesday afternoon.

Food served at ByteDance is prepared by third-party caterers, according to the BBC.

“Food operators must play their part by adhering to good food safety practices” the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the city-state’s Ministry of Health said in a joint statement.

“SFA will not hesitate to take enforcement action against errant food operators.”