Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, a Michelin three-star restaurant in Shanghai. Photo: Snapshot from China's online food delivery platform Meituan.

 
Shanghai market regulation authority has launched an investigation into food suppliers and will arrange mediation after several customers complained they felt sick and got the runs after dining in a Michelin three-star deluxe restaurant.

The restaurant, called Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, has been listed among Asia's 50 Best Restaurants in 2022. It was very popular with only 10 seats available every day and required online booking ahead of time.

There have been several consumers complaining that they have been diagnosed by medical institutions with acute gastritis or gastroenteritis after spending 6,000 yuan (roughly $873) per person dining at Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, but the restaurant refused to take responsibility, Zongxiang News reported on Saturday.

A consumer surnamed Wang said his wife and him, as well as four other people have had the runs and felt sick on March 23, two days after they spent 6,800 yuan per person dining at Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet. 

Wang said they tried to ask for explanation from the restaurant, but only received an email written in English four days later from the restaurant that their physical discomofort has nothing to do with the restaurants but a result of Norovirus.

Wang, dissatified with the resutaurant's attitude, posted his experience on a social media platform and reported to the market regulation bureau in Jingan district. He was then echoed by another consumer surnamed Song, who and her brother spent 8,888 yuan per person in mid March at Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet and had similar symptoms later. Song said her Norovirus test was negative and the doctor diagonosed her as gastroenteritis.

A restaurant employee said the resaurant's waiting for the investigation result and it's quite ridiculous that the consumers directly accused the restaurant of being the cause of their food poisoning on the internet.

The Jingan market regulation bureau said the judgment of food poisoning requires on-site food collection and testing, especially within 72 hours, but the incident at hand has already gone past the golden time of direct investigation. Nevertheless the bureau vowed to continue to carry out an investigation as it is very concerned about people's health.