November 16, 2023, 07:37 PM
Spize was fined a total of S$7,200 on Nov. 15, 2023 after 15 individuals who consumed food at two of its Bedok Road outlets suffered gastroenteritis.
Multiple food safety lapses at Bedok Road outlets
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a same-day press release that it received reports about the gastroenteritis cases in July 2022.
None of them were hospitalised.
SFA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) conducted a joint investigation and found multiple food safety lapses at both outlets.
The western food stall at 336/ 338 Bedok Road, which is licensed under Spize Bedok, failed to properly segregate raw and cooked food at the serving station, and used a stained chopping board for cooked food.
The food shop located at 284 Bedok Road, licensed under Spize Concepts, failed to provide hand soap in the kitchen toilet and used the premises for food processing without authorisation.
SFA directed Spize Bedok and Spize Concepts to rectify the lapses and take necessary measures to improve the food safety practices and the cleanliness of their respective premises.
SFA also reduced the food hygiene grades of both outlets from "A" to "C".
The two companies, both owned by Spize, were each fined S$3,600 for committing multiple food safety lapses.
Cooked food and raw seafood placed side by side. Image from Singapore Food Agency.
Stained chopping board used for cooked food. Image from Singapore Food Agency.
Not the first time
This is not Spize's first brush with the law.
Spize at River Valley was shut down for good by the authorities after it led to a mass food poisoning in November 2018.
A total of 82 people fell ill, of whom 47 were hospitalised, and one passed away.
During investigations, bacteria found in animal or human faeces was discovered in the outlet's belacan egg fried rice, on a chopping board and a knife used for ready-to-eat food.
The outlet was also found to have flouted the rules handed down by the authorities during its initial suspension.
The outlet not only did not discard the food that had been flagged for disposal, but dispatched some of the food to another outlet for use.
In December 2020, Spize and a related company Spize Events were convicted of 14 offences and fined S$32,000 for the 2018 mass food poisoning incident.
Under the Environmental Public Health Act, offenders are liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$2,000 and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding S$100 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.
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Top image from Sham Abdullah/Google Maps
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