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Halal catering company K G Catering was fined S$6,000 on 1 Nov 2023 following a series of hygiene lapses that led to 92 people coming down with gastroenteritis.
This was revealed in a press release by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). Between 20 Sep 2022 and 11 Mar 2023, SFA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) had been informed of 3 separate incidents of food poisoning, in which a total of 92 people had been affected. Thankfully, none of them had been hospitalised. All 3 incidents were traced back to K G Catering.
When SFA and MOH conducted joint inspections at K G Catering’s premises on 3 occasions, they discovered various hygiene and food safety lapses. In 1 image shared in their press release, food waste could be seen littered on the ground within the premises. The officers also found that food had been stored improperly, in addition to the poor maintenance of the area.
On top of that, cockroach and rodent infestations were spotted on the premises, with live cockroaches being observed.
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In response to these discoveries, SFA suspended K G Catering’s food business operations from 9 Nov 2022 to 1 Feb 2023. The suspension was only lifted after K G Catering rectified the lapses in hygiene.
K G Catering is not the only catering company to have received fines and suspensions this year. In July, Rasel Catering was fined S$4,800 following a month-long suspension after 345 people fell ill from consuming their food.
Restaurants aren’t safe from being exposed either — Shangri-La Hotel Singapore‘s buffet restaurant, The Line Restaurant, had its food hygiene grade downgraded from an ‘A’ to a ‘C’ in September after 10 people developed gastroenteritis from dining there.
In the same month, 30 people fell ill to food poisoning after consuming food from a wedding reception held at St. Regis Hotel.
SFA reminds food establishments to always ensure that their premises are clean and well maintained, and to follow proper food hygiene and food safety requirements.
