SFA finds ‘massive pest infestation’ at Proofer Bakery, orders business suspended and recall of products at 16 outlets
this is index.phpSINGAPORE — The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has suspended the food business operations of Proofer Bakery after an inspection on Tuesday (Oct 26) found “massive pest infestation” at the food preparation areas of its MacPherson premises and in both its food delivery trucks.
It has also been directed by the authorities to recall its food products that have been sent to its 16 retail outlets, SFA said in a statement on Tuesday evening.
The suspension is with effect from Tuesday until further notice.
SFA said that “live cockroaches, rodent activity and dead rodents” were observed during an inspection of Proofer Bakery’s unit at KA Foodlink, a six-storey commercial building housing food businesses. The building is located at 171 Kampong Ampat off MacPherson Road.
TODAY understands that this is the address of the bakery’s central kitchen.
In addition, SFA said that it found “several lapses relating to the poor maintenance of the premises”.
“In the interest of public health, SFA directed the licensee of Proofer Bakery to rectify the lapses and take necessary measures to improve the food safety practices and the cleanliness of its premises.
“As a precautionary measure, SFA has also directed the company to recall the various food products at Proofer’s retail outlets.”
In a post at 6.19pm on its Facebook page named “Proofer Boulangerie”, the bakery said on the same day that it is closed for the day’s operation to facilitate an “area cleaning process”.
“Business shall resume tomorrow,” the bakery said, without mentioning the suspension.
In its statement, SFA said that food safety is a “joint responsibility” and that it continues to be vigilant and works to ensure that “regulatory measures are in place and properly enforced”.
It stressed that all food operators should ensure that their premises are clean and well-maintained, and that workers are properly trained on proper food safety management.
It will take enforcement action against food operators who do not adhere to regulations or comply with food safety requirements.
“Offenders are liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both,” it added.
Members of the public who come across poor hygiene practices in food establishments are advised not to patronise them. They may also provide feedback via SFA’s online feedback form.
Living with birds and bees: 16 HDB projects lauded for good design, construction
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – A Housing Board project in Queenstown is also home to peaceful solitary bees and small birds such as the oriental magpie-robin, thanks to insect hotels, hanging drilled wood logs and nest boxes that recreate habitats for a thriving local biodiversity.
SkyParc @ Dawson, which was completed in December last year, is one of 16 projects recognised for their excellent design, engineering and construction at this year’s HDB Awards, said the board on Sunday (Oct 17).
Designed by home-grown firm Design Link Architects, the project comprises 810 two-room flexi as well as three-, four- and five-room units across three blocks.
It is one of the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) replacement sites for Tanglin Halt residents.
On the ground level, a 200m-long community eco-corridor offers pockets of seating beneath 18 mature shady trees, including rain tree and broad-leafed mahogany.
The pedestrianised corridor was formerly part of Margaret Drive and the architects specifically planned around existing mature trees to help enhance vegetation and retain wildlife in the area.
A vegetated bioswale, a type of green infrastructure designed to capture and hold rainwater run-off to prevent flooding, stretches along the length of the eco-corridor.
The project’s park-like setting is replicated in sky terraces and sky gardens at the higher levels of the blocks, along with a roof garden at the multi-storey carpark.
An award ceremony to recognise all 16 projects will be held at HDB Hub in Toa Payoh next Wednesday (Oct 20).
A mixed development lauded for good design is Eastlink I and II @ Canberra, two Build-To-Order (BTO) projects completed in 2019.
Designed by local firm SAA Architects, each of the 11 residential blocks is linked via elevated sheltered walkways to the nearby Canberra MRT station, a three-storey neighbourhood centre and a park connector.
The network of sheltered linkways provides residents with a safe and barrier-free commute to a wide array of amenities and maximises opportunities for them to meet and interact as they go about their daily activities, said HDB.
Drawing inspiration from the town’s history as a British naval base, the architects incorporated nautical-themed playgrounds, along with undulating bands on the blocks’ facades, to give the estate a unique identity.
The upcoming Parc Residences @ Tengah will be conferred the innovative engineering award (design) for its engineering design and construction methods.
Designed in-house by HDB’s team of planners, architects and engineers, the project comprises 1,044 two-room flexi as well as three-, four- and five-room flats across 12 blocks, and is integrated with a neighbourhood centre.
It was launched in the August 2020 BTO sales exercise and is expected to be completed in 2025.
Parc Residences @ Tengah is the first HDB project to tap a cloud-based platform to log real-time information and progress updates, in a move towards greater productivity and efficiency.
On the design front, the ground level of the multi-storey carpark will be kept car-free to house amenities such as a childcare centre, fitness stations and a playground.
It will have prominently placed stairs to encourage residents to climb the steps for healthy living.
This year, six building contractors will be recognised for construction excellence in the development of housing projects.
Among them is home-grown firm BHCC Construction, which overcame site constraints to build Forfar Heights, a 43-storey residential and commercial block at the junction of Alexandra Road and Commonwealth Avenue.
HDB chief executive Tan Meng Dui said contractors and consultants have had it rough for the past 1½ years due to the Covid-19 pandemic but they have “risen to the challenge”.
“Thanks to their dedication, professionalism and resilience amid the pandemic, HDB has been able to continually deliver quality homes to Singaporeans, with the flats delivered now surpassing pre-pandemic levels,” he added.
“Through the HDB Awards, (we are) happy to recognise and affirm the excellence displayed by our industry partners in the design and construction of our housing projects.”
HDB is on track to launch about 17,000 BTO flats this year and will increase supply of such homes next year.
23 people get gastroenteritis symptoms after eating Mdm Ling Bakery durian snowskin mooncakes
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: Authorities are investigating five separate incidents affecting 23 people who reported gastroenteritis symptoms after consuming Mdm Ling Bakery Mao Shan Wang snowskin mooncakes.
One was hospitalised and has since been discharged, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in a joint news release on Friday (Oct 1).
Others either sought outpatient treatment, self medicated or recovered without treatment.
The implicated mooncakes originate from Malaysia.
They were imported by Mdm Ling Bakery and sold at various places in Singapore.
SFA has directed the importer to immediately stop the sale and movement of the product. The process of recalling those that have been distributed or sold is ongoing.
“Consumers who have purchased the implicated product are advised not to consume it,” said the authorities.
“Those who have consumed the implicated product and have concerns about their health should seek medical advice.”
In a Facebook post on Monday, Mdm Ling Bakery apologised to the customers who were affected by the recall of its durian snowskin mooncakes.
“We take responsibility for the food items that we import and have been in close liaison with our production partner on this matter,” said the bakery. It added that it is “cooperating fully” with MOH and SFA in their investigations.
Consumers may contact the importer at support@mdmlingbakery.com or call 8468 0201 for enquiries.
People should limit themselves to one social gathering a day; similar workplace interactions must cease from Sep 8: MOH
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: All individuals should limit themselves to one social gathering a day, while social gatherings and interactions at workplaces will not be allowed from Sep 8, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Monday (Sep 6).
This comes after a recent rise in the number of COVID-19 community cases in Singapore.
“We strongly encourage all individuals, especially the vulnerable elderly or persons staying with elderly, to reduce their non-essential social activities for the next two weeks,” said MOH in a press release.
“We should continue to limit our social circle to a small group of regular contacts and limit ourselves to one social gathering a day, whether to another household or in a public place.”
It added that recent clusters in workplace settings have taken place because of “lax” safe management measures, especially in areas like staff canteens and pantries “where people tend to let their guard down and interact amongst themselves without their masks on”.
“Hence, we will no longer allow social gatherings and interactions at workplaces from Sep 8,” said MOH.
The ministry clarified later on Monday night that it was referring to social gatherings as well as social interactions at workplaces.
The ministry said that it would take “tougher action” if there are positive cases among infected workers.
“In particular, employers will be required to put in place a maximum work-from-home requirement over a 14-day period, should one or more of their workers be found to have contract COVID-19 and have returned to their workplace,” said MOH.
That means everyone in the company who can work from home will be required to do so. Those who are working from home should minimise social gatherings and leave their homes only for “essential activities” during this 14-day period, added MOH.
More details will be released by the Ministry of Manpower.
Speaking to reporters, co-chair of the multi-ministry task force Lawrence Wong on Monday asked people to “cut back” on their social interactions and to “exercise some restraint and moderation”.
People are still permitted to go out under the rules, said Mr Wong. “But I think the more we circulate, the more we are out and about, there is always a chance that we, by circulating around so much, may inadvertently become the source of the next super spreader event,” he added.
SELF TEST REGULARLY
MOH also reminded all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to self test regularly with antigen rapid tests (ARTs), especially if they are participating in higher-risk activities or attending large-scale events.
These kits are now sold at most supermarkets and convenience stores.
These measures come after the detection of several large clusters at bus interchanges, BHG Bugis Junction and Changi General Hospital.
“Many of the cases and clusters arose because of higher levels of interactions between people, either in social settings or workplaces,” the ministry said.
MOH added that it will monitor the local situation “closely” for the next two weeks.
“We seek everyone’s cooperation in ramping up self-testing and in observing all safe management measures so that we can lower transmission risks together,” it said.
“Everyone can play their role by minimising their movement and social interactions so that we can reduce footfall at common spaces at or near the workplace and in public venues, especially when there are sharp increases in transmissions.”
No need to license home-based food businesses as safety risk and volume sold are small: SFA
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – There is no need to license home-based food businesses given the small quantities of food they sell, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Wednesday (Aug 18), adding that it has assessed that the food safety risk associated with these businesses is small.
The agency was responding to queries from The Straits Times, after 15 people fell ill eating food from The Peachy SugarMaker, a home-based food business, on Aug 5 and 7. Nine of them were hospitalised. The SFA has directed the business to suspend its operations, and is investigating the case with the Ministry of Health.
It did not reply to questions about the number of food poisoning cases that involved food from home-based food businesses.
Earlier this week, the Restaurant Association of Singapore, which represents more than 5,000 restaurants and food outlets here, said it was time to regulate this growing part of the food industry. Its legal counsel, Ms Tay Eu-Yen, said in a commentary in The Business Times that the industry has evolved beyond small home baking businesses.
“The law urgently needs to keep up; food hygiene is a matter of public health and safety. In the absence of regulation, cases of food poisoning may emerge where proper food hygiene training, licensing inspections and firmer rules could have prevented.”
Currently, home-based food businesses are allowed to operate from Housing Board flats and private homes as long as operators stick to the SFA’s guidelines for food hygiene practices. The agency encourages people who handle and prepare food to attend a food safety course at an approved training provider.
The SFA said: “Nonetheless, home-based food businesses are still required to ensure that the food they sell is safe for consumption. We have provided guidelines on good food hygiene practices available on our website that operators must comply with.”
It added that there are tighter regulations for licensed food businesses such as restaurants and food manufacturers as they are not limited in their scale of production, and this significantly increases the potential for food safety to impact consumers.
The agency said: “There may be home-based food businesses experiencing high demand for their food products that are interested in scaling up their operations. They are advised to set up licensed food premises as they professionalise their operations into a full-fledged business.
“Food safety is a joint responsibility. SFA would like to remind food operators, including home-based businesses, to observe good food and personal hygiene practices at all times. Consumers are encouraged to exercise discretion when purchasing from home-based food businesses.
“SFA will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Sale of Food Act and/or the Environmental Public Health Act.”
The guests at one party who fell ill after eating food from The Peachy SugarMaker and had to be hospitalised tested positive for salmonella, a bacteria that can cause diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting.
Dr Desmond Wai, a gastroenterologist in private practice, said that in food poisoning cases, the cause might be with the food handling.
Salmonella, he said, can be on raw chicken and on eggshells. People who prepare raw chicken should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before they touch other ingredients, he said. Cutting boards and knives should also be sanitised after being used to cut raw chicken.
Food handlers should also wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling eggs or cracking them, since salmonella can be found on the shells.
Asked what advice he would give people who want to avoid falling ill with food poisoning, he suggested that when eating out, they pick food that is recently cooked, or dishes that are prepared in front of the diner.
“Don’t go for chicken rice at 6pm if the chicken has been hanging there since the morning,” he said, adding that food containing coconut milk might also spoil more quickly. “Most food, if you leave it out, can become contaminated.”
Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/no-need-to-license-home-based-food-businesses-as-safety-risk-and-volume-sold-are-small-sfa
Public sector data leaks rose to 108 last year, but none severe
this is index.phpPublic officers reported 108 cases of data leaks by the Singapore Government last year, up 44 per cent from 75 cases in 2019.
All of the incidents were assessed to be of “medium” or “low” severity, according to the second annual report on the Government’s personal data protection efforts released yesterday.
Without disclosing details, its author, the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO), defined medium severity to mean that a government agency had suffered difficult or undesirable consequences, with minor inconvenience to individuals or businesses.
There were no severe incidents reported last year. These are incidents that damage national security or the public’s confidence, or those resulting in death or serious physical, financial or sustained emotional injury to an individual.
To date, only two such severe incidents have been reported. Both took place in 2018.
The first was the unauthorised disclosure of the confidential data of 14,200 patients from the Ministry of Health’s HIV registry. The second was the unauthorised access of 223 case files due to a vulnerability in the State Courts’ online system.
Of the 108 cases last year, six were reported by members of the public through the Government Data Security Contact Centre, an online portal launched in April last year. Details of these cases have not been released.
The rise in public sector data incidents mirrors trends in the private sector here.
Last year, local residents filed 6,100 complaints against private organisations about potential personal data breaches, said SNDGO. In 2019, 4,500 complaints were made to privacy watchdog the Personal Data Protection Commission.
“This could be due, in part, to the Covid-19 crisis accelerating the pace of digitalisation in the past year,” said SNDGO.
As more businesses conduct their activities online in the light of public health restrictions, more data is generated and exchanged. This increases the risk of data being exposed.
“Work-from-home arrangements and the use of unsecured home networks may also raise the risk of data incidents,” SNDGO said. “These trends highlight the increased data security risks faced by the private and public sectors and… the urgency of implementing the necessary measures to safeguard personal data.”
On its part, the public sector has committed to roll out 24 key measures by the end of 2023 as part of its $1 billion investment to better safeguard citizens’ personal data.
These measures were recommended by the Public Sector Data Security Review Committee (PSDSRC), formed in March 2019 after a spate of cyber-security breaches, including Singapore’s worst data breach involving 1.5 million SingHealth patients’ data in June 2018.
The PSDSRC framework will gradually replace current practices at public agencies, many of which have devised their own protocols.
As at March 31 this year, 21 of the recommended measures are already in place. These include automating the removal of inactive user accounts to automating the detection of risky user behaviour, such as copying sensitive files from laptops.
One of the most recent changes is an amendment to the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), which does not apply to the public sector, to cover third parties handling government data.
The new law came into effect on Feb 1 to better hold third-party organisations accountable for any mismanagement of citizen data. Individuals in these organisations will also be held accountable for lapses that are directly or indirectly caused by egregious mishandling of personal data.
Previously, third parties were subject to only the obligations in their contracts with public agencies and, where applicable, laws such as the Official Secrets Act.
Food recalled from Ho Kee Pau’s Nex outlet after hygiene lapses by supplier
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – Consumers are being advised against eating food purchased from Ho Kee Pau’s Nex outlet after the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on Wednesday (June 30) found widespread pest infestations, such as cockroaches and rodent droppings, on the premises of a supplier.
The lapses were observed in the food preparation and assembly areas of HKP Food Technology’s premises at Shimei East Kitchen in Bedok North.
During the inspection, the SFA also found the areas to be poorly maintained.
“Those who have consumed the implicated products and have concerns about their health should seek medical advice,” the agency said in a statement.
It has suspended the food business operations of HKP Food Technology, which supplies food products to Ho Kee Pau’s retail outlets, until further notice.
According to its Facebook page, there are 12 Ho Kee Pau outlets in Singapore.
The SFA also told Ho Kee Pau to recall food that was distributed to the Nex outlet on Wednesday, which included dim sum, traditional pau and pastries.
Meanwhile, the licensee of HKP Food Technology has been directed to rectify the lapses and take the necessary measures to improve the cleanliness of its premises in the interest of public health.
“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,” it said.
The agency also advised the public not to patronise eateries that have poor hygiene practices and to provide feedback at this link.
Rise in workplace injuries from slips, trips and falls a concern and needs to be addressed: Zaqy Mohamad
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – Workplace injuries caused by slips, trips and falls in the food and beverage (F&B) industry have risen by an average of 12 per cent a year in the four years before the pandemic, and have been the main driver of injuries in the sector, said Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad on Thursday (June 17).
Overall, work injuries in the sector have also been rising at an average rate of 9 per cent a year from 2016 to 2019, tapering down slightly last year, as many workplaces were forced to shut due to Covid-19.
Last year, there were 985 work injuries in the F&B sector. In 2019, there were 1,167 injuries in the sector, and 932 in 2018.
These trends are becoming a concern and need to be addressed, Mr Zaqy said at a virtual forum for the F&B sector organised by the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council.
He said: “Good workplace safety and health makes good business sense… No one wants to work in an accident-prone industry…
“For owners, a safe workplace and a healthy workforce means higher productivity, less time lost due to sick leave, better staff retention, and even lower costs from avoiding work injury insurance premium hikes due to injury claims.
“For employees, good workplace safety and health sense means protecting their lives and livelihoods.”
Across all sectors, major injuries caused by slips, trips and falls are on the rise.
In the first three months of this year, there were 61 major injuries caused by slips, trips and falls across all industries, up from 37 during the same period last year.
Slips, trips and falls are also the top cause of non-fatal work injuries, said Mr Zaqy.
Hence, in conjunction with Thursday’s virtual forum, a new year-long Slips, Trips and Falls (STF) campaign has been launched to raise awareness of such injuries.
This year’s campaign is the third such campaign in as many years, and is the second one being led by the food service sector.
The WSH Council told The Straits Times that this year’s campaign will target employers and workers from the F&B, logistics and transport, and facilities management sectors. It identifies four common hazardous areas in workplaces – slippery areas, slopes, uneven areas and cluttered areas.
The campaign will call on companies to establish a year-long STF commitment, and implement five key actions that require them to set aside time to check for hazards, clean up work areas, and share safety messages with their workers on a regular basis.
The five actions are:
- Displaying warning signs in areas with STF risks;
- Wearing of non-slip footwear when there is wet or oily flooring;
- Holding on to railings at non-level ground;
- Removing clutter; and
- Cleaning spills promptly
The WSH Council said it aims to reach out to 14 associations across the three sectors, whose members comprise more than 6,000 companies.
Said Mr Zaqy: “The intent here is to commit to do specific actions to address and tackle STFs, and prevent future injuries from occurring.”
As part of the campaign, the authorities will also be organising “learning journeys” for companies in high-risk sectors, with the first such journey to start in August. These learning journeys encourage the sharing and learning of best practices across various industries.
Mr Zaqy said workers also need to be trained to be safe and this has to be done systematically. For example, segments on preventing slips, trips and falls are now included in the basic mandatory training course for all food handlers.
Singapore Hotel Association president Kwee Weilin, who chairs the WSH Council’s hospitality and entertainment industries committee, said the F&B industry has been grappling with acute manpower constraints amid the pandemic and workers in the sector have had to bear the brunt of this shortage.
One way to work around manpower constraints is to adopt technology to maintain productivity and workplace safety standards, Ms Kwee said.
“When made to work longer hours and complete more tasks, our F&B workers are more likely to experience fatigue. Their day-to-day struggle at work may take a toll on their health and increase the likelihood of injuries,” she added.
26 builders ordered to stop work for not ensuring SafeEntry check-in
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – Twenty-six builders have been ordered to stop work for three days for flouting Covid-19 curbs.
They were among more than 65 builders found to have violated safe management measures since they were tightened on May 16.
In a statement on Wednesday (June 2), the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said the 26 builders were found to have allowed workers or visitors into their worksites without performing SafeEntry check-in at the site entrances.
These included two sites which had let in workers who did not check in and who subsequently tested positive for Covid-19, thus complicating contact tracing efforts.
BCA issued three-day stop-work orders to these 26 builders to halt all activities on-site, as they had failed to ensure that workers or visitors checked in before entering the worksites.
The orders will be lifted after the builders review their safe-management plan, rectify all non-compliance and submit a compliance report to BCA.
Sites that Covid-19-positive cases visited will need to do thorough disinfection before works can resume, BCA added.
It has stepped up its checks and conducted more than 900 inspections per week at construction worksites to ensure that builders are doing their part to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission among the construction workforce, while keeping construction works going as much as possible.
The number of inspections is triple the average of 300 inspections that BCA conducted per week from June last year.
BCA said a key concern arising from its checks is the lack of rigour in deploying TraceTogether-only SafeEntry or ensuring SafeEntry check-in at worksite entrances.
The authority said it will also take stronger enforcement action against builders who do not appoint safe management officers or safe distancing officers to escort and supervise workers or visitors. These may include roving sub-contractors, delivery personnel and other service providers who perform works or services at multiple worksites.
The officers are to ensure that these workers or visitors do not intermingle with the workers there and that all safe management measures are strictly adhered to throughout their stay on site.
Sites that are found to have contravened this requirement will be issued three-day stop-work orders.
Other common non-compliance observed during the inspections includes having workers without BCA’s approval performing works on site, personnel not adhering to safe distancing or not wearing masks, as well as worksites having no proper zonal segregation.
BCA said it takes a serious view of any failure to comply with safe management measures on worksites, adding that “any non-compliance can easily undermine the efforts and good work of the rest of the industry in combating the transmission of Covid-19”.
Builders with worksites that have broken rules will be issued longer stop-work orders or fines of up to $2,000, or face prosecution.