We love a good convenience store rice ball (onigiri) here at Tokyo Park. There’s just something special about that delicious triangle of joy that can turn any frown upside-down. But the latest news from 7-Eleven in Saitama Prefecture might make you look at your favorite grab-and-go snack a bit differently.
A Little Extra Crunch in the Onigiri
It seems 7-Eleven’s onigiri manufacturing plant decided to get a little too creative with their flavor profiles. Apparently, a couple of their “Ume kaoru maze gohan onigiri Kishu Nanko Ume” rice balls were sold with an unexpected surprise – a cockroach. Yes, you read that right – a crunchy, many-legged, uninvited guest was found in these delicacies.
The Bug Report
These ‘special edition’ rice balls were cooked up in a Saitama factory and made their way to about 370 7-Eleven stores between the 3rd and 4th. It was not one, but two separate duos of customers who had the horror of finding their onigiri had an extra ingredient. Cue the collective shudder of onigiri fans across the country.
In response to the unsettling discovery, 7-Eleven pulled all the onigiri made on the same production line from their shelves. They’re now in the process of “voluntary recall” of any sold roach-ridden rice balls. Now, there’s a sentence you never thought you’d read.
Crisis Control
7-Eleven issued a statement expressing their deep apologies for the heebie-jeebie-inducing incident, promising to amp up their quality control. They assured customers that they’ll do their darnedest to prevent a repeat of this creepy-crawly crisis.
So next time you’re grabbing a snack from 7-Eleven, you might want to give your onigiri an extra once-over. Or maybe just stick to the instant ramen for a while. At least they’re sealed airtight!
