<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Ensure mass food poisoning cases don't recur
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I AM convinced that the current preventive measures with regard to mass food poisoning are insufficient.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) should implement massive structural and psychological changes if it wants to truly bring about world-class hygiene standards at all food establishments.
I suggest it take a leaf from Food Republic at Suntec City on how the operator manages soiled crockery. This is the best example that I have seen in Singapore so far. The emphasis here is not just about cleanliness alone, but more importantly hygiene. All hawker centres should emulate the practices of Food Republic.
Here are areas of concern that I do not think are fully understood:
1. There should be strict segregation between cooked and uncooked food, and between clean and soiled crockery.
2. Washing of all crockery should be done at a properly designated room, and not at corridors or near toilets. Washing standards must be improved with the use of hot water in the final rinse.
3. Tables should be wiped with a clean disposable alcohol-based tissue after the initial wipe with dirty towels.
4. Collection of money must not be done by the one preparing food, as bacteria are known to reside on currency notes. Errant hawkers continue to wear overused gloves that are no longer protective.
5. Both cooked and uncooked food should not be left at room temperature. They should be kept in refrigerated display cases.
6. All vegetables, including chillies and limes, should be rinsed thoroughly. Currently, most hawkers cut them without washing them, as they fear their early deterioration if they are not properly dried. Cut chillies are usually left on used newspapers before being processed or kept in containers.
7. The NEA and Health Ministry should strictly enforce rules on handling of raw food.
8. Unsold cooked food and sauces should be discarded at the end of each business day.
9. All food preparations must be done within the stalls/kitchens or at licensed premises. Currently, this rule is blatantly flouted, especially at coffee shops.
10. There should be no extension of fixtures beyond the stalls. Pails and containers are now placed beyond the stalls.
11. All temporary hawker centres should be managed by the NEA, and not by management committees with no clout to enforce rules.
12. Hygiene rating certificates should have expiry dates with fonts that are large enough to be seen from a distance of 5m.
13. Food establishments found to be infested with rats should be ordered to close immediately.
Our hawkers should be educated that operating a stall is not just about making profits without ownership of problems or a duty to the public.
It may cost consumers a little more, but the price is worth it to prevent any more mass poisoning outbreaks. This is about life and death and we should adopt a more holistic approach.
There should also be some sense of ownership among government agencies that have often been quick to pass the buck. Let's accept that we are now a mature and critical society.
Thomas Hwang
<!-- end of for each --><!-- Current Ratings : start --><!-- Current Ratings : end --><!-- vbbintegration : start --><!-- vbbintegration : end --><!-- dennis change request 20070424 : start --><!---Google ad - Start : Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:21:45:912---><!-- AdSpace STI Google ad tag --><SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.1 src="http://ads.asia1.com.sg/js.ng/site=tsti&pagepos=20&size=10X10"> </SCRIPT>
<HR color=black noShade widht="90%" height="1"><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="http://adimage.asiaone.com.sg/2005/google/a1_google.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/test_domain.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/render_ads.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT>window.google_render_ad();</SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.1 src="http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-sph_js&dt=1239627711388&hl=en&adsafe=high&oe=utf8&num_ads=5&output=js&correlator=1239627711388&channel=asiaone®ion=default&ea=0&frm=1&ga_vid=2060985816.1239627711&ga_sid=1239627711&ga_hid=1437524864&flash=10.0.22.87&u_h=1200&u_w=1920&u_ah=1140&u_aw=1920&u_cd=32&u_tz=480&u_his=154&u_java=true&dtd=96"></SCRIPT>
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I AM convinced that the current preventive measures with regard to mass food poisoning are insufficient.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) should implement massive structural and psychological changes if it wants to truly bring about world-class hygiene standards at all food establishments.
I suggest it take a leaf from Food Republic at Suntec City on how the operator manages soiled crockery. This is the best example that I have seen in Singapore so far. The emphasis here is not just about cleanliness alone, but more importantly hygiene. All hawker centres should emulate the practices of Food Republic.
Here are areas of concern that I do not think are fully understood:
1. There should be strict segregation between cooked and uncooked food, and between clean and soiled crockery.
2. Washing of all crockery should be done at a properly designated room, and not at corridors or near toilets. Washing standards must be improved with the use of hot water in the final rinse.
3. Tables should be wiped with a clean disposable alcohol-based tissue after the initial wipe with dirty towels.
4. Collection of money must not be done by the one preparing food, as bacteria are known to reside on currency notes. Errant hawkers continue to wear overused gloves that are no longer protective.
5. Both cooked and uncooked food should not be left at room temperature. They should be kept in refrigerated display cases.
6. All vegetables, including chillies and limes, should be rinsed thoroughly. Currently, most hawkers cut them without washing them, as they fear their early deterioration if they are not properly dried. Cut chillies are usually left on used newspapers before being processed or kept in containers.
7. The NEA and Health Ministry should strictly enforce rules on handling of raw food.
8. Unsold cooked food and sauces should be discarded at the end of each business day.
9. All food preparations must be done within the stalls/kitchens or at licensed premises. Currently, this rule is blatantly flouted, especially at coffee shops.
10. There should be no extension of fixtures beyond the stalls. Pails and containers are now placed beyond the stalls.
11. All temporary hawker centres should be managed by the NEA, and not by management committees with no clout to enforce rules.
12. Hygiene rating certificates should have expiry dates with fonts that are large enough to be seen from a distance of 5m.
13. Food establishments found to be infested with rats should be ordered to close immediately.
Our hawkers should be educated that operating a stall is not just about making profits without ownership of problems or a duty to the public.
It may cost consumers a little more, but the price is worth it to prevent any more mass poisoning outbreaks. This is about life and death and we should adopt a more holistic approach.
There should also be some sense of ownership among government agencies that have often been quick to pass the buck. Let's accept that we are now a mature and critical society.
Thomas Hwang
<!-- end of for each --><!-- Current Ratings : start --><!-- Current Ratings : end --><!-- vbbintegration : start --><!-- vbbintegration : end --><!-- dennis change request 20070424 : start --><!---Google ad - Start : Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:21:45:912---><!-- AdSpace STI Google ad tag --><SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.1 src="http://ads.asia1.com.sg/js.ng/site=tsti&pagepos=20&size=10X10"> </SCRIPT>
I only make up the no. lah! *chey*
<HR color=black noShade widht="90%" height="1"><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="http://adimage.asiaone.com.sg/2005/google/a1_google.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/test_domain.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/render_ads.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT>window.google_render_ad();</SCRIPT><SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.1 src="http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-sph_js&dt=1239627711388&hl=en&adsafe=high&oe=utf8&num_ads=5&output=js&correlator=1239627711388&channel=asiaone®ion=default&ea=0&frm=1&ga_vid=2060985816.1239627711&ga_sid=1239627711&ga_hid=1437524864&flash=10.0.22.87&u_h=1200&u_w=1920&u_ah=1140&u_aw=1920&u_cd=32&u_tz=480&u_his=154&u_java=true&dtd=96"></SCRIPT>
