No conclusive evidence linking 187 cases of food poisoning to Total Defence Day Ready-to-Eat meals

No conclusive evidence has been found linking the 187 cases of gastroenteritis in February 2025 to the ready-to-eat (RTE) meals that were distributed as part of the as part of the Food Resilience Preparedness Programme (FRPP).

No foodborne pathogens or lapses in safety at SATS' premises found

According to a statement on the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) website. SFA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) stated that both food safety and clinical findings did not pinpoint the RTE meals as the "definitive" cause of the incident.

No foodborne pathogens were found from laboratory testing of the RTE meal samples, the environmental swabs of equipment and contact surfaces at food caterer SATS' premises, as well as stool samples from affected individuals, MOH and SFA added.

In addition, SFA's investigation did not find any safety lapses at SATS' manufacturing premises or in its processes.

SFA said it would work with SATS however, to review and strengthen food production processes.

Background to case

The gastroenteritis cases were reported following the consumption as part of the Food Resilience Preparedness Programme (FRPP).

Of the 187 cases, 184 were from schools, two were from Active Ageing Centres and one from a public agency.

All affected individuals received the necessary medical attention and have since recovered, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu during the Mar. 4 parliament sitting.

None of them were hospitalised.

Fu shared that over 100,000 of these meals were distributed to secondary schools, pre-universities, Institutes of Technical Education, public agencies, and Active Ageing Centres as part of Total Defence Day 2025.

The distribution of the food was initially scheduled to take place from Feb. 15 to Feb. 28.

However, on Feb. 19, 20 students from the School of the Arts (SOTA) displayed symptoms of gastroenteritis.

On Feb. 20, SFA, the Ministry of Education (MOE), Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and food caterer SATS paused the programme.

Top photos via SFA/Facebook