Staff at a school canteen in Northeast China's Dalian use laundry detergent to clean students' dishes. Photo: Screenshot from the Pear Video.

Cafeteria staff have been suspended after an online video shows them washing students' food trays and cutlery in large tubs and hosing them down on the floor of the kitchen.  

The netizen's written allegation accompanying the video has prompted a government investigation. The post claimed the kitchen staff used laundry detergent instead of dishwashing soap, although the video doesn't show which product was used to create the few suds seen in the tubs.  

The government of Zhuanghe county of Dalian in northeast China's Liaoning Province said on its Sina Weibo post on Tuesday that they are investigating the netizen's complaint and a report will be released to the public. 

The netizen's post also accused staff of using a sterilizing cabinet for teachers' tableware but not for the students' metal food trays and cutlery.

The local government said education authorities will take charge of cafeteria operations to ensure students' food safety.

Although the investigation hasn't yet been completed and no students were reported to have been made ill, Chinese net users responded with fury after the netizen's allegation went online on Tuesday. Many called for the kitchen staff to be severely punished. 

"I suggest inviting the school leaders to have meals with the students in the canteen, that's the fastest way to solve the problem," one said.