Ho Kee Pau supplier fined for hygiene lapses found during 2021 inspection
Food manufacturer HKP Food Technology was fined $8,500 by the court on Wednesday for hygiene lapses at its food manufacturing establishment at Block 3015, Bedok North Street 5.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said that in June 2021, its officers had found “widespread pest infestations”, including cockroaches and rodent droppings, and poor cleanliness on site, both of which constituted a high risk for food contamination.
SFA said that this was not the first time enforcement action had been taken against the food manufacturing company, which supplies food products to Ho Kee Pau’s retail outlets.
On June 30, 2021, SFA advised consumers against eating food from Ho Kee Pau’s Nex outlet as various food products – such as dim sum, traditional pau and pastries – were delivered to that outlet on the same day SFA inspected the manufacturer’s Bedok North premises.
A day later, on July 1, all 12 of Ho Kee Pau outlets were closed for a day as a precaution against the hygiene lapses found at its supplier’s premises.
SFA has directed the food manufacturer to rectify the lapses and take necessary measures to improve the food safety practices and the cleanliness of its premises.
Separately, another food processing establishment, J Lee Investment, was fined $3,000 on Wednesday for failing to comply with SFA’s licensing conditions.
The agency said its officers detected several repeated non-compliances at the company’s premises, which process fish. This was in spite of previous enforcement actions taken by the agency, without elaborating what these actions were.
The repeated breaches include failing to repair the wall of the processing room, which was badly damaged, and failing to keep the wall and floor of the processing room clean and hygienic at all times.
J Lee Investment has also been directed to rectify the lapses and take necessary measures to improve the food safety practices and cleanliness of its premises.
“Food safety is a joint responsibility as food can be contaminated anywhere along the food chain,” said SFA, adding that all food operators should ensure that their premises are clean and well-maintained, and staff are adequately trained on proper food safety management.
SFA will take enforcement action against those who do not adhere to regulations or comply with food hygiene and food safety requirements.
Members of the public who come across poor hygiene practices in food establishments are advised not to patronise them and provide feedback via SFA’s online feedback form (sfa.gov.sg/feedback).
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