SEATTLE — A Seattle sushi restaurant recently visited by a famous TikTok food reviewer is pushing back against claims that a "worm" was seen in its food.
Keith Lee, who has more than 16.5 million followers on TikTok, visited Seattle and stopped by several restaurants earlier this week. In a video posted to his TikTok account, Lee reviews FOB Sushi in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood.
Lee taste-tests 10 rolls, including a Hamachi sushi roll. Some viewers say they spotted what appears to be a worm wiggling at the end of the piece of yellowtail fish before Lee takes a bite.
The video has been viewed over 12 million times on TikTok and sparked hundreds of comments online.
On Nov. 15, FOB Sushi Bar posted a statement to its Instagram page, stating there was no worm in the piece of sashimi, and explained food preparation and food safety efforts at the restaurant.
"We want to address this claim directly and assure you that it is entirely false," the business posted on Friday. “At FOB Sushi, we are committed to upholding the highest health and safety standards to provide clean, fresh, and safe food for every customer.”
FOB Sushi Bar said their seafood is sourced from trusted suppliers and that Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points regulation ensures "compliance with stringent safety standards."
As for Lee's video, FOB Sushi Bar said "the movement observed in the fish may result from natural elasticity or the pressure of chopsticks when applied to its structure. We want to assure our customers that this is not indicative of worms or any health concerns."
“We are proud of our meticulous fish-handling process, which involves careful freezing, inspection, and preparation by our skilled chefs,” the statement reads in part. “We have never had any issues regarding food safety and remain committed to serving you the highest quality seafood.”
According the Washington State Department of Health, FOB Sushi Bar was inspected in January and had no health violations. It received a Satisfactory rating.
Previously, restaurant co-owner Vincent Chen told KING 5 the TikToker's visit helped his small business by doubling sales and causing a major uptick in customers.
"I think this is called the 'Keith Lee Effect,'” said Chen. "People are just like coming in from everywhere. … I saw that somebody is like driving an hour drive to try us out."
Government health agencies do warn about the risks of eating raw fish, meat or poultry. Raw fish can contain parasitic worms, however, food preparation practices, including flash freezing, can eliminate health risks.
Lee has posted several videos since his sushi review, but he has not yet addressed the FOB Sushi Bar video.
