Would you eat from this stall?
Prata seller kneads dough and smokes near rubbish heap
May 13, 2009
THE prata seller worked his bare fingers into the dough, oblivious to the rubbish dump, the scavenging birds and flies less than two metres away.
UNHYGIENIC: A worker from the prata stall kneads a dough at the back alley of the coffee shop in Tampines. Not far from him were two collection bins overflowing with rubbish. PICTURE: LIANHE WANBAO
The sight so disgusted at least one customer that he made it a point to monitor the hawker every day at 6pm for two months.
The customer, who wanted to be known only as Mr Tang, 63, is a frequent patron of the Tampines coffee shop, where the prata is sold.
Mr Tang, who is self-employed, said: ‘The place where he makes the dough is very messy and the rubbish bin is nearby.
‘Sometimes, he would smoke and not wash his hands before going back to work on the dough.’
When The New Paper visited the coffee shop at Block 844, Tampines St 82, last Thursday, there were two workers at the stall.
A worker from the stall was seen carrying a red plastic container containing the dough to the back alley of the coffee shop at 5pm.
He placed the container on a foldable table and kneaded the dough in the container.
Not far from him were two collection bins overflowing with rubbish. There were also food scraps and other items scattered on the floor.
The pile of rubbish was a haven for scavengers – birds were seen perched on top of the rubbish heap and flying around the area.
Flies hovered over the rubbish bins.
Yet, the worker seemed oblivious, focused on his task of kneading the dough.
About five minutes later, cleaners arrived at the carpark to empty the rubbish bins.
The hawker then went back to the coffee shop. But the red container was left outside, with a flimsy piece of brown paper acting as a lid.
He emerged from the coffee shop 11/2 hours later to knead the dough again.
The recent food poisoning case at Geylang Serai prompted Mr Tang to alert the media.
He said: ‘After the rojak case, these stallholders should be more alert. But some of them don’t seem to care at all (about hygiene). Food poisoning might kill somebody.’
When approached by The New Paper, both the stall workers declined to comment.
But one of them earlier told Lianhe Wanbao that he did not think his actions were unhygienic.
He said that he would always wash his hands before kneading the dough.
The reason he gave for preparing the food outside the coffee shop was that the stall was too small.
Customers at the coffee shop were appalled when told of how the prata was being prepared.
Said Miss Andrea Lee, 27, a tax consultant, who eats at the coffee shop about three times a week: ‘I’m surprised to hear about it. I think it’s unacceptable. If you really need to cook outside, you should at least ensure that everything is covered up properly.
‘If he continues to do it, I will not eat there again.’
A hawker from a different coffee shop, who wanted to be known only as Mr Ang, 46, said in Mandarin: ‘Sometimes, I think people complain about us because they don’t understand our limitations.
‘Definitely unhygienic’
‘But preparing food outside is definitely unhygienic. Flies and birds can contaminate the food. I don’t agree with that practice.’
Are stall hawkers allowed to prepare food outside of their stalls?
No, said a National Environment Agency (NEA) spokesman.
‘It is an offence for any person to prepare food in any place where such food is likely to be contaminated.
‘NEA has investigated the matter and contacted the food handler, who has admitted to kneading the dough at the rear apron area,’ said the spokesman.
The hawker has been issued demerit points under the Points Demerit System for licensees of food stalls and establishments.
He is also liable to a fine not exceeding $2,000.
‘The food handler has also been warned not to repeat the offence,’ the spokesman said.
Prata seller kneads dough and smokes near rubbish heap
May 13, 2009
THE prata seller worked his bare fingers into the dough, oblivious to the rubbish dump, the scavenging birds and flies less than two metres away.
UNHYGIENIC: A worker from the prata stall kneads a dough at the back alley of the coffee shop in Tampines. Not far from him were two collection bins overflowing with rubbish. PICTURE: LIANHE WANBAO
The sight so disgusted at least one customer that he made it a point to monitor the hawker every day at 6pm for two months.
The customer, who wanted to be known only as Mr Tang, 63, is a frequent patron of the Tampines coffee shop, where the prata is sold.
Mr Tang, who is self-employed, said: ‘The place where he makes the dough is very messy and the rubbish bin is nearby.
‘Sometimes, he would smoke and not wash his hands before going back to work on the dough.’
When The New Paper visited the coffee shop at Block 844, Tampines St 82, last Thursday, there were two workers at the stall.
A worker from the stall was seen carrying a red plastic container containing the dough to the back alley of the coffee shop at 5pm.
He placed the container on a foldable table and kneaded the dough in the container.
Not far from him were two collection bins overflowing with rubbish. There were also food scraps and other items scattered on the floor.
The pile of rubbish was a haven for scavengers – birds were seen perched on top of the rubbish heap and flying around the area.
Flies hovered over the rubbish bins.
Yet, the worker seemed oblivious, focused on his task of kneading the dough.
About five minutes later, cleaners arrived at the carpark to empty the rubbish bins.
The hawker then went back to the coffee shop. But the red container was left outside, with a flimsy piece of brown paper acting as a lid.
He emerged from the coffee shop 11/2 hours later to knead the dough again.
The recent food poisoning case at Geylang Serai prompted Mr Tang to alert the media.
He said: ‘After the rojak case, these stallholders should be more alert. But some of them don’t seem to care at all (about hygiene). Food poisoning might kill somebody.’
When approached by The New Paper, both the stall workers declined to comment.
But one of them earlier told Lianhe Wanbao that he did not think his actions were unhygienic.
He said that he would always wash his hands before kneading the dough.
The reason he gave for preparing the food outside the coffee shop was that the stall was too small.
Customers at the coffee shop were appalled when told of how the prata was being prepared.
Said Miss Andrea Lee, 27, a tax consultant, who eats at the coffee shop about three times a week: ‘I’m surprised to hear about it. I think it’s unacceptable. If you really need to cook outside, you should at least ensure that everything is covered up properly.
‘If he continues to do it, I will not eat there again.’
A hawker from a different coffee shop, who wanted to be known only as Mr Ang, 46, said in Mandarin: ‘Sometimes, I think people complain about us because they don’t understand our limitations.
‘Definitely unhygienic’
‘But preparing food outside is definitely unhygienic. Flies and birds can contaminate the food. I don’t agree with that practice.’
Are stall hawkers allowed to prepare food outside of their stalls?
No, said a National Environment Agency (NEA) spokesman.
‘It is an offence for any person to prepare food in any place where such food is likely to be contaminated.
‘NEA has investigated the matter and contacted the food handler, who has admitted to kneading the dough at the rear apron area,’ said the spokesman.
The hawker has been issued demerit points under the Points Demerit System for licensees of food stalls and establishments.
He is also liable to a fine not exceeding $2,000.
‘The food handler has also been warned not to repeat the offence,’ the spokesman said.
