Popeyes customer finds 'mould' in fish burger bun at Orchard outlet, Popeyes conducting investigation

A Popeyes customer who bought a fish burger at the fast food chain's Orchard Xchange outlet on Nov. 18 was shocked to find what looked like mould on the bun.

She made the discovery only after having consumed most of her meal.

The customer, Teng, 31, lodged a complaint with the fast food chain and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

In a statement sent to Mothership, Popeyes Singapore apologised for the incident.

It said it is conducting investigations into the outlet, as well as an internal review on its food safety practices.

Mouldy burger bun

Teng told Mothership that she had passed by the Popeyes outlet on her way from Orchard MRT to her workplace and stopped for a bite at around 10:20am.

She ordered a Poppy Fish Burger, a limited-time offering, along with a hash brown and paid S$7.40.

Teng said she initially didn't notice the affected part of the burger bun because she was looking at her computer screen while eating.

It was not her first time ordering from that particular outlet.

"When I was down to the last bite, I saw something strange on the bun. I looked more closely and realised it was mould," said Teng.

Shocked, Teng stopped eating and threw away the rest of the burger.

"I wondered if I had eaten any part of it without noticing, and was worried I might get food poisoning," she said.

She said she was concerned it might affect her during a holiday trip later in the week, but added that "so far I'm feeling okay".

Nevertheless, it was a "disappointing and concerning" experience at a major food chain, said Teng.

She also said the incident has made her more cautious about food safety.

"Next time, I’ll check the burger before eating. Usually, I just grab it and take a bite while looking at my computer screen," she said.

Outlet has been inspected: SFA officer

After the incident, Teng submitted a formal complaint to Popeyes and SFA.

Subsequently, she received an email from an SFA officer, who told her that following her feedback, an inspection was conducted at the outlet.

"The management was sternly warned to step up their checking procedures for their food preparation processes and to ensure that all food served must be wholesome and safe for consumption," the officer wrote.

"We will continue to monitor them for compliance."

Teng said she is sharing her story out of concerns for food safety and better quality control.

"I hope the management investigates this seriously and takes steps to ensure fresher products are served to customers," she added.

Popeyes response

In response to Mothership's queries, a Popeyes Singapore spokesperson apologised for the incident and added, "we take food safety and quality very seriously at Popeyes".

The spokesperson said that the chain is conducting an investigation with the Orchard Exchange outlet to understand how this occurred, and to prevent such incidents in the future.

"Our team is reviewing internal procedures, including food handling, storage, and quality checks, to ensure that all products served meet our strict standards. We are also reinforcing these standards with all staff at the outlet," said the spokesperson.

"We regret the inconvenience caused and appreciate the customer’s feedback, which helps us improve our service and quality control."

Food safety is a joint responsibility: SFA

SFA told Mothership that it is looking into the matter and emphasised that food safety is a joint responsibility.

"While SFA puts in place and enforces the regulatory measures, food operators must play their part by adhering to good food hygiene and preparation practices," said SFA.

SFA reminded food operators to ensure their premises are clean and well-maintained.

SFA investigates all feedback alleging poor food safety practices. If sufficient evidence is found, it will "not hesitate to take enforcement action", it said.

Meanwhile, members of the public who have concerns about food safety practices by food operators to report to SFA via the online feedback form (www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback).

Top image from Google/courtesy of Teng