Caterers suspended after link to outbreak at TikTok office in Singapore

Authorities in Singapore have suspended the operations of two companies who supplied food to TikTok’s parent company after more than 100 people fell sick.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) are investigating the outbreak.

A total of 130 people consumed food supplied by Yun Hai Yao Pte and Pu Tien Services Pte at ByteDance’s office at One Raffles Quay earlier this week. Seventeen people were hospitalized and are currently in a stable condition. Video sharing app TikTok is owned by ByteDance.

SFA has suspended the operations of Yun Hai Yao Pte at 1 Northpoint Drive and Pu Tien Services Pte at 2 Senoko South Road until further notice.

The firms are required to clean and sanitize the premises, including equipment and utensils, and dispose of all ready-to-eat food and perishable food items.

All food handlers at the companies are required to re-attend and pass the food safety course level 1 and test negative for foodborne pathogens, before they can restart their work. A food hygiene officer must re-attend and pass the food safety course level 3 before this person can resume their role.

“Food safety is a joint responsibility. SFA would like to remind food operators to observe good food and personal hygiene practices at all times. SFA will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act,” said the Singapore Food Agency.

Other enforcement action
In other news, SFA has seized about one ton of fresh and processed produce illegally imported from Malaysia.

In July, SFA and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) conducted an operation on delivery trucks used to transport produce and food products intended for direct distribution to retailers and customers. During the operation, ICA officers noticed discrepancies in the consignments of two trucks and referred them to SFA for further checks.

Fruits and vegetables can only be imported by licensed firms, and every consignment must be declared and accompanied with a valid import permit.

SFA found undeclared and under-declared produce such as bayam, tomato, lady finger, and peeled hairy gourd by two importers. All illegally imported produce was seized. Illegally imported vegetables are of unknown sources and can pose a food safety risk if unregulated or high level of pesticides are used.

In another case, Long Yue Teng Trading Pte was fined $29,000 (U.S. $21,700) for two offences under the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act.

Directors Wang Limin and Koon Kay Kheng were fined $25,000 (U.S. $18,700) and $4,000 (U.S. $3,000) respectively, for failing to prevent the offences from being committed.

In April 2023, officers from the Singapore Food Agency inspected a cold store facility leased to Long Yue Teng and discovered more than 5,100-kilograms of assorted meat products. These items had been illegally imported from unapproved sources in China without a valid permit.

Another two companies have also been fined for food safety issues. Sidecar Pte, a food processing operator, was fined $3,800 (U.S. $2,800) for carrying out unapproved trade activities.

The company was licensed to operate a food processing site. However, during an inspection in February 2023, SFA officers found it had breached licensing conditions with the unauthorized processing and packing of pet food. SFA found pet food products in the walk-in freezer room, as well as pet food packaging materials such as tubs, lids and glass jars in the dry storage area and office.

Finally, +Robert Catering Services Pte was fined $2,100 (U.S. $1,600) in relation to an outbreak in May 2023.

MOH and SFA received reports of gastroenteritis affecting 37 people at four St Luke’s ElderCare Centers. All sick people consumed lunch meals supplied by the company. One person was hospitalized.

A dozen food samples were collected, of which three had a Bacillus Cereus count that exceeded the limit in regulations. The three ready-to-eat food items were stir-fry cabbage with mushroom, carrot and baby corn; stir-fry cabbage; and braised Tau Pok.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)