
Afternoon Tea TEAROOM is recalling the affected batch of fried items after customers complained of numbness in their tongues.
Popular Japanese cafe chain Afternoon Tea TEAROOM is appealing for customers to return items purchased at their Sendai City outlet, in the local S-Pal shopping centre, after it was confirmed that detergent had been mistakenly used instead of oil while frying a number of their doughnuts and croquettes on 15 June. The company has issued a formal apology, along with a press statement outlining details of the four types of 22 items which had been tainted: 5 Steamed Pork and Potato Doughnuts; 10 Springy Soybean Flour and Adzuki Red Bean Paste Doughnuts; 3 Cinnamon Doughnuts; and 4 Croquette Sandwiches.
According to the Sendai health clinic treating affected customers, 10 of the people they treated had complained of numbness in the tongue.
▼ Some of the tainted products include the cafe’s Cinnamon Doughnuts.
洗剤で揚げたドーナツ販売、宮城県仙台市「アフタヌーンティー・ティールーム エスパル仙台店」で洗剤5リットル混入 | 林檎舎 https://t.co/f2S1wzR6fm
— しろくま@眉毛🔞 (@zicospirits) June 17, 2016
According to the report, five litres (169 fluid ounces) of detergent, which was placed next to the fryer, was picked up by accident and mixed in with 18 litres of existing oil when frying the food prior to the store’s opening on 15 June. Afternoon Tea TEAROOM is now seeking to recall any of the above-mentioned items purchased from the store on this date, offering a full refund to customers. In accordance with administrative health care measures, the store has been closed for two days, and is due to re-open on 18 June, with the outlet working with staff and officials to ensure the incident doesn’t happen again.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the issues, please contact the store on 022-716-7758.

Udon Doughnuts boom in popularity, get a whole new look at Japanese restaurant chain
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Japanese workers reveal their top five mysterious rules they wish would disappear【Survey】
Japan’s Rabbit Island in danger of becoming Boar Island, tourists asked to follow feeding rules
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
A practical guide to freezing your boss’ hat in a block of ice [Photos]
Heavyweight ramen-style cheese fried chicken bowl appears in Tokyo, but is it genius or madness?
These Japanese contact lenses let you put anime characters on your eyes [Photos]
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Time-lapse footage shows just how fast rebuilding in Kumamoto can go
Kyoto shop turns traditional Japanese kimono into teddy bears, with special meaning hidden in their patterns
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
Tokyo sweets store has a “350% Pudding Soft Serve”, and people are going wild for it
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】