SINGAPORE: Two companies owned by local restaurant Spize were fined S$3,600 (US$2,670) each on Wednesday (Nov 15) for food safety lapses that led to 15 cases of gastroenteritis in July 2022.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) received reports of gastroenteritis cases in July 2022 involving 15 people who consumed food prepared by the Spize food outlet located along Bedok Road.
The SFA said in a release that both Spize Bedok and Spize Concepts have been directed to correct the errors and take necessary steps to improve food safety practices and cleanliness of the premises.
It also adjusted the food hygiene grade of the Western food stalls at 336/338 Bedok Road and the food shop at 284 Bedok Road from “A” to “C”.
The State Forestry Administration and the Ministry of Health jointly conducted an investigation and found multiple food safety loopholes in the two places.
Mistakes found at Western food stalls licensed under Spize Bedok included incorrect segregation of raw and cooked food at service stations and the use of stained cutting boards to serve cooked food.
Other food safety vulnerabilities were discovered at the food store, which is licensed by Spize Concepts. These include failure to provide hand sanitiser in kitchen bathrooms and unauthorized use of the premises for food processing.
Previous cases
The case in July 2022 was not Spize’s first food hygiene lapse. In 2018, 63 people became ill after eating food provided by Spize for company events, and 45 of them were hospitalized. One man later died of sepsis and multiple organ failure following acute gastroenteritis.
As a result, Spize Restaurant lost its River Valley Road branch license in December 2018, while Spize and related company Spize Events were fined S$32,000 in December 2020 over the incident.
“Food safety is everyone’s shared responsibility, as food can be contaminated anywhere in the food chain,” the State Forestry Administration said.
“While the State Forestry Administration continues to be vigilant and work hard to ensure regulatory measures are in place and properly enforced, industry and consumers must also play their part.”
It added that all food operators should ensure that their premises are clean and well maintained and that staff are adequately trained in proper food safety management.
If convicted, the offender may be fined up to S$2,000, and in the case of a continuing offence, a further fine of up to S$100 for each day or part of the time during which the offense continues after conviction.