In Thailand, "glowing" egg sushi that emits a blue light is stirring controversy. Experts warned that it could be bioluminescence caused by microbial contamination and said it should not be eaten.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 28th, a Thai person named Mild Burusakorn said on the 26th that "egg sushi bought from a famous sushi restaurant in Thailand emits a blue light," and shared the photo on a consumer group social media (SNS) page.
In the photo, only the egg sushi among the sushi set Burusakorn bought is emitting a blue light in the dark.
The person said they were startled to see the light as soon as they turned off the lights after getting out of the car, and noted that the displayed egg sushi had sold out so they ordered directly from a staffer, and only this sushi gave off a blue light. The person said, "I was so shocked that I couldn't bring myself to eat it." However, the person did not disclose where the sushi was purchased.
Experts raised the possibility of contamination by luminous bacteria that emit light on their own, not by chemicals.
Chulalongkorn University biology professor Jesada Denduangboripant said, "Seafood can glow even without exposure to ultraviolet light," analyzing that it was caused by luminous bacteria such as Photobacterium phosphoreum. Staff at the sushi restaurant may have handled fish that had ingested the bacteria, resulting in the egg sushi being contaminated.
The professor emphasized, "Whatever the cause, sushi that emits light can cause diarrhea or food poisoning and must never be eaten; it should be discarded."
As the controversy grew, the restaurant reportedly contacted Burusakorn and apologized, saying that "bacteria from seafood may have been transferred during the process of cutting the sushi."