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SINGAPORE – More than 400 people were food-addicted in three separate incidents in November, prompting a member to say that a virus could have been a cause.
Dr. Chia Shi-Lu, Chairman of the Governmental Health Committee, said that food safety deficiencies could be the cause. The magnitude of cases of food poisoning and the fact that incidents occurred nearby could suggest other causes, such as a bug or a contaminated source.
He told the New Paper (NPT) that, even though investigations were continuing, the fact that there were multiple incidences despite stringent food hygiene standards might indicate that this could be more disturbing than mere hygiene.
Thus, thorough investigations are under way to determine the cause in order to be able to treat it appropriately, he added.
The Straits Times learned that the latest incident occurred on Monday, November 26, when 131 Kindergarten 2 students and teachers became ill after eating packed lunches prepared by FoodTalks Caterer & Manufacturer.
The company, which operates from Shimei East Kitchen in Bedok, has delivered fried macaroni packages to 115 young children and 16 teachers in a school camp.
The first incident occurred on November 6, when 81 people at a Deepavali party in Kaki Bukit became ill after eating food packaged in bento boxes prepared by the Spize restaurant. One of them, Mr. Fadli Salleh, aged 38, died at the hospital about a week later.
Last Friday (November 23rd), the license for TungLok Catering, a restaurant group owned by the TungLok Restaurant Group, suspended at the Singapore Expo's Max Atria was suspended after 190 people declared that they became ill after eating food when they were eating. an event organized by the Singapore Civil Defense.
The Straits Times understands that a large number of bento boxes have been prepared and that approximately 1,000 portions have been served to participants.
Staff at 17 restaurants interviewed by The Straits Times said it was difficult to provide food for large crowds, but that they rarely had cleanliness issues.
Mr. S.T. Soh, General Manager of Kate's Local Point of Sale, stated that his company had put in place a standard protocol to ensure food cleanliness.
According to Mr Soh, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has put in place a standard operating procedure that every operator must follow.
"We follow the rules of time control, temperature and storage very strictly," he said, referring to certain rules and requirements imposed by the NEA.
Mr. Soh stated that the rules require that prepared foods be eaten within four hours of cooking and that their temperature be maintained to prevent contamination.
Food critic K.F. Seetoh told The Straits Times that the rules and regulations applicable to food caterers were "clear and diligent" and that it was incumbent on the kitchen staff to respect the food.
"They (the kitchen staff) must know that they serve a plate of death if they do not pay attention," he said.
"Having strict governments on their own will not help, the staff must put into practice what they already know," he added.
According to reports of cases of food poisoning reported to date, the NEA has worked with the Ministry of Health and the Food and Veterinary Authority to investigate multiple cases of gastroenteritis. Other updates will follow as investigations are completed and causes are determined.
The NEA website also contains information on hygiene and food safety for consumers, including tips on how to check if processed foods are healthy.
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