Woman finds sharp metal hook in frozen squid; Sheng Siong apologises, offers refund

SINGAPORE: After a woman found a sharp metal hook in the frozen squid she had bought at a Sheng Shiong grocery store, the company apologized and offered her a refund.

While cleaning the squid, she found a hook with two layers of multiple sharp prongs embedded within one of the squid pieces. She warned the public to be careful when cleaning—let alone cleaning—seafood: “The hook is extremely sharp so please be careful when cleaning your seafood!”

According to photos she posted on the Complaint Singapore Facebook page, the woman purchased the bag of frozen squid at a branch of the supermarket chain located at Block 154A Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 on Dec 14.

The post has since been taken down. However, Shin Min Daily News has posted a photo of the squid with the hook inside it, and the receipt showing the woman’s purchase from Sheng Shiong is still available online.

The supermarket chain has since apologised, refunded the woman, and launched an investigation on the matter.

The Chinese daily carried a story about the incident, explaining that the metal hook found in the squid is most likely a part of the lure that fishermen use to catch squid called a squid jig, and it’s possible that a fisherman inadvertently left it inside the squid.

Squid jigs are the most popular bait for squid. The device usually has two parts: a colourful body that looks like a fish and is designed to attract a squid and a metal part with often needle-sharp points attached. When the squid bites into this part, it allows a fisherman to reel the squid in.

In 2020, a father took to Reddit to recount what happened when his son swallowed one of these baits: “My son swallowed a fishing lure. A squid jig. We were driving in the truck to go fishing when my son decided to ask his sisters to dare him to put it in his mouth. Well it got stuck and only could go one way (it’s kind of what a hook is supposed to do right?). Long story short, an awful phone call to mom, helicopter ride, 4 hour surgery and a 7 night stay in the hospital. No, we still have not gone fishing since.”

Fortunately, the boy turned out all right, with the father writing, “The only problem is he tells people he’s invincible.”

Read also: Woman alarmed after finding staple wire inside prawn roll she bought from Sheng Siong /TISG