CNBC AI News | July 12, 2025
Authorities in Linyi City, Shandong Province, have responded to intense public debate surrounding a high-profile case where a restaurant faced potential fines of ¥450,000 (approx. $62,000) for posting a video featuring a controversial dish colloquially called “Toad Soup.” A district-level joint investigation team issued a detailed clarification late yesterday.
The sequence of events began in early 2025. On February 15th, a restaurant operator in Lanshan District allegedly published an online video demonstrating the preparation of a dish using the Asiatic toad (Bufo gargarizans), a species classified as prohibited for consumption by Chinese regulations.
Lanshan District’s Market Supervision Administration formally initiated an investigation on March 17th, subsequently notifying the restaurateur of the impending administrative penalty on March 24th. By March 27th, the business owner had submitted a formal appeal supplemented by supporting documents and proactively removed the contested video content.
A significant development followed on May 12th. After a comprehensive review of the case specifics and assessment of actual impact, regulators made an unexpected pivot: they formally notified the operator that no financial penalty would ultimately be imposed.
The case, however, resurfaced into public discourse this week. On July 11th, the female restaurant owner publicly contested the initial regulatory actions, asserting to domestic media that the minor act of sharing a brief culinary clip had triggered the severe fine. She claimed her subsequent appeals went unanswered by regulators, leading her to file litigation against the Market Supervision Administration.
Legal representatives for the proprietor noted a critical ambiguity at the heart of the case. They argue that “Hama” – the Chinese term used – carries regional ambiguity in culinary contexts, potentially referencing legally farmed species like bullfrogs or specific varieties of frogs native to eastern China, rather than solely the protected Asiatic toad. “The linguistic controversy itself underscores regulatory interpretation challenges,” the defense emphasized.
Further complicating the regulatory assertion is the apparent local popularity of “Toad Soup.” Observers report frequent social media showcasing of similar dishes by both consumers and eateries within the Linyi region, suggesting a deep-rooted, albeit contested, culinary practice.
Adding important economic context, Shandong Provincial media have documented a burgeoning local industry centered on the regulated farming of toads. Numerous enterprises now operate within provincial guidelines, harvesting legally sanctioned toads for their medicinal properties and contributing significantly to regional agricultural economies.
The joint investigation team confirmed their ongoing review focuses specifically on assessing the initial enforcement actions taken by market regulators against the restaurant owner. “Ensuring rigorous compliance with China’s extensive food safety and wildlife protection statutes remains paramount,” an official statement reiterated, “but proportionality and clarity in enforcement are equally critical for both compliance and fair commerce.”
Image: Notice related to the contested ‘Toad Soup’ video case (Source: Public Notice)
Image: Regulatory-compliant toad farming operations exist in Shandong (Representational Image)
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