NEA's reply:
This is a full version of NEA's reply issued to the media agency; published in TODAY, 23 May 2018.
We thank Mr Lim Teck Koon for his feedback.
Licensed food retail operators are required to ensure the food they sell to
consumers is safe and hygienic. Besides undergoing the requisite food hygiene
training stipulated by National Environment Agency (NEA), all food-handlers must
observe good hygiene practices in their daily work. This includes donning clean
attire and washing hands between tasks to minimise or prevent contamination of
food.
NEA conducts regular inspections of food retail establishments to ensure
compliance with hygiene standards and takes enforcement actions against
operators who do not practise proper food hygiene. Smoking while preparing food
is an offence under the Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations.
Such offences carry a composition sum of $300 and 4 demerit points under the
Points Demerit System (PDS).
We would like to advise members of the public who come across poor hygiene
practices in food establishments not to patronise such outlets and to call our 24 hour
NEA Call Centre at 1800-2255632 or via the MyENV app for our follow-up
investigations.
Adeline Oi Kheng Leong (Ms)
Director, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
National Environment Agency