For Singapore Food Agency (SFA) inspectors Zakiah Binte Zakaria, 25, and Mohamed Fazli Bin Mohlas, 43, a certain level of confidence and self-assuredness is needed to approach food stalls at a bazaar to tell staff that they might have committed an offence.
Memorable inspections
"During our inspections, we have come across food handlers who are rude and do not cooperate with us," Zakiah highlighted.
That's not the extent of it. Zakiah has encountered unregistered food handlers who ran away mid-inspection.
This is why SFA's inspectors will work with the organiser on the ground and the police if they detect a need to.
Fazli recalled a particularly memorable inspection at Jalan Sultan where he found food handlers selling illegally imported meats.
"The inspection, which involved seizure and taking statements from operators, took a total of four hours," he said.
Not all encounters with food handlers are negative
But that is not to say that an SFA inspection is always a negative encounter or that the job is simply about spotting irregularities or violations.
“I found it memorable when a licensee actually thanked me for taking an enforcement action on them so that they would learn their lesson and improve their food safety and hygiene standards,” Zakiah said.
Fazli added that he also enjoys building rapport with the staff and owners of food stalls by educating them instead of merely pointing out their mistakes so as to foster collaboration in ensuring food safety for everyone.
Both inspectors also make it a point to commend stall owners when they see them carrying out good food safety practices.
By doing so, the staff and owners will become aware that SFA is vigilant and takes notice on their stall operations. They will also understand what is required from them to ensure they abide by SFA's rules.
It also means that they will reach out to SFA to ask when they are unsure, rather than make a decision on their own, Fazli added.
Overseeing bazaars in the central region of Singapore
Both Zakiah and Fazli are inspectors from SFA's Central Regional Office.
This means any bazaar or pasar malam located within the Central Regional Office's purview will be subjected to the scrutiny of inspectors from this particular office.
Neither are strangers to food safety inspections.
Zakiah has about 1.5 years of experience as an inspector, having joined SFA about two years ago. Meanwhile, Fazli has about two years of experience, having been with SFA since it was formed in 2019.
And their experience was on full display as both appeared to be very much at ease while making their rounds through the Kampong Glam Ramadan Bazaar recently.
Photo courtesy of SFA.
Fazli showing a vendor areas within the stall which can be improved to ensure food safety. Photo courtesy of SFA.
According to Zakiah, inspectors look out for things like proper washing facilities and food storage with adequate temperature control.
In addition, all food handlers must be registered with SFA and have a valid food safety certificate.
Fazli checking the stall license of a vendor at the Kampong Glam Ramadan Bazaar.
Stalls and activities must be kept within the approved site per layout plans.
"We do all these so that vendors understand why food hygiene and safety practices are important," she said.
How do inspectors identify potential offences?
According to Fazli, before a bazaar even starts, inspectors will plan their schedule and collate feedback that requires investigation, to familiarise themselves with the bazaar.
This approach is complemented by other measures such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance which allows inspectors to identify potential offences in real-time remotely.
When SFA officers suspect non-compliance at a stall, such as unsafe food handling practices or feedback on alleged unregistered food handlers, the relevant CCTV footage will be extracted and reviewed, to provide evidence for enforcement and prosecution where applicable.
Fazli also highlighted that while he is on his rounds with Zakiah, they will look out for irregularities such as food littered on the floor, improper food storage, and staff who handle food without gloves, masks, or spit guards.
Fazli inspecting the storage facilities of a food stall at the bazaar to ensure proper storage. Photo courtesy of SFA.
Fazli checks the expiry date of a canned food in a stall as part of his inspection. It is illegal to sell food that has passed the expiry date. This is because these products may no longer have the specific quality claimed by the food manufacturer. Photo courtesy of SFA.
Food safety is a joint responsibility
Zakiah emphasised that ultimately, food safety is a joint responsibility.
The agency has also called on food operators to play their part by adhering to good food hygiene and preparation practices.
"Food operators are reminded at the point of permit application that pre-packed food sold at temporary fairs must be obtained from SFA-licensed sources," SFA added.
"Everyone plays a part (in food safety), be it SFA, the industry or consumers," Zakiah said.
"We are glad to know that visitors to the bazaar can eat their food safely and that gives us satisfaction in the job that we do."
Top photos courtesy of SFA. Quotes edited for clarity.