In September, the F&B sector experienced a notable downturn, with the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) imposing a two-week suspension on not 1, not 2, but 5 F&B establishments.
Chumpo2 Indonesian Padang located at Rivervale Plaza is currently being suspended from 26 Sep to 9 Oct 2023. The establishment serves up wallet-friendly options such as nasi lemak, mee rebus and ayam penyet.
The Indonesian eatery incurred a fine totalling S$800 and amassed 12 demerit points over the course of a 12-month period. The reason? Failure to keep licensed premises free of infestation.
Ambur Biryani, known for their fish, mutton and chicken briyani at 18 Cuff Road around Little India is also suspended from 26 Sep to 9 Oct 2023. Similar to Chumpo2 Indonesian Padang, the Indian restaurant was slapped with a S$800 fine and was issued 12 demerit points for failing to register assistant and infestation.
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The 3 other establishments which were suspended earlier in September are:
- Jiu Li Xiang Fragrant Crabs at People’s Park Complex (19 Sep to 2 Oct 2023) – S$800 fine and 12 demerit points for failure to keep licensed premises free of infestation and failure to register assistant
- Amin Mee Goreng Stall at 498 Jurong West (19 Sep to 2 Oct 2023) – S$800 fine and 12 demerit points for failure to keep licensed premises free of infestation and failure to register assistant
- Western Food and Indian Muslim Food, the Food Stall at 97 Rangoon Road (12 to 25 Sep 2023) – S$800 fine and 12 demerit points for failure to keep licensed premises free of infestation
Maintaining cleanliness and vigilantly monitoring for pests is imperative for kitchen staff, regardless of their workload. Pests, such as cockroaches, pose a formidable challenge once they infiltrate kitchens, as they can multiply rapidly.
Therefore, it becomes essential to engage professional pest control services to effectively manage and contain the situation.
The F&B sector constantly faces a shortage of staff, with stall owners struggling to find assistants to cover operations before completing paperwork.
After this 14-day suspension, let’s hope the owners and staff of these businesses will re-attend the food safety course, conduct thorough cleaning to eliminate pests, and reevaluate their processes to prevent future issues.
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