Fans of viral food reviewer Keith Lee are convinced the TikToker ate a worm in his sushi after spotting something moving in his food during one of his reviews.
Keith Lee is one of TikTok’s most famous personalities, racking up over 16 million followers thanks to his videos reviewing restaurants across the United States — often bringing them oodles of business as a result.
However, one of Lee’s videos, posted on November 10, is sparking disgust from viewers who spotted something that he happened to miss during his review of FOB Sushi Bar in Seattle, Washington.
As Lee chowed down on some salmon nigiri, fans couldn’t help but notice that a tendril in the meat appeared to move on its own.
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Commenters quickly rushed to warn Lee, convinced that he’d unwittingly eaten a live worm.
“Bro is risking his life,” one viewer wrote.
“I love raw sushi but you gotta always check it for parasites before I eat it,” another said.
“That ‘food’ was still moving… I get fresh, but damn,” yet another said.
While Lee himself hasn’t offered a response to the situation, FOB Sushi has published a statement addressing diners’ concerns after the TikToker’s video racked up over 2.7 million views in a week’s time.
“Recently, a video has been circulating online that claims worms were found in our sushi,” the statement reads. “We want to address this claim and assure you that it is entirely false.
“At FOB Sushi, we are committed to upholding the highest health and safety standards to provide clean, fresh, and safe food for every customer.”
The business went on to state that all its fish is purchased from “trusted suppliers” that meet HACCP regulations, and that all their fresh products are “intended to be frozen before consumption to eliminate any potential health risks.”
FOB Sushi Bar has disabled embedding its statement regarding Keith Lee’s viral video.
As for the supposed “worm” in Lee’s sushi, FOB claims that the movement “may result from natural elasticity or the pressure of the chopsticks when applied to its structure.”
While it’s unclear whether or not there really was a worm in Keith Lee’s sushi, parasites that cause Anisakiasis are most commonly found in areas where raw fish is consumed.
As per the CDC, disease is caused when nematodes from infected fish attach themselves to the inside of the human body, causing symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and even anaphylaxis in serious cases.
For now, it seems like Lee is in perfect health — but that isn’t stopping viewers from being concerned as he continues his tour of Washington state.