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SINGAPORE – Eight members of the Temasek Junior College (TJC) staff have been hospitalized for symptoms of gastroenteritis after eating food prepared by Chilli Api Catering last Friday (March 12).
They are currently in stable condition, said TJC Director Low Ay Nar.
Responding to inquiries from The Straits Times, Ms. Low said that as of Monday (March 15), a total of 43 staff members had reported symptoms of gastroenteritis after the school provided its entire staff with 216 bento lunch boxes. from Chilli Api Catering to thank you for your work on Term 1.
Period 1 ended last Friday (March 12).
“On March 13, some staff members who had eaten the bento boxes reported symptoms of gastroenteritis. Upon receiving these reports, the school immediately advised all staff who had consumed the same lunch boxes and were experiencing similar symptoms to see a doctor, ”said Ms. Low.
Symptoms of gastroenteritis include diarrhea and vomiting.
Ms. Low said the lunch boxes were delivered and consumed separately after the staff collected the bento boxes.
He added that TJC is closely monitoring the health of all affected personnel and will provide them with support.
It is also working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to assist with investigations.
This comes after Chilli Api Catering was ordered to suspend operations starting Sunday following an outbreak of food poisoning.
The affected TJC staff are believed to be among 82 people who became ill with symptoms of gastroenteritis after eating food prepared by the caterer between Wednesday and Friday.
Fourteen of the 82 have been hospitalized and are in stable condition, the Health Ministry and SFA said in a statement Sunday.
Operations of the catering company, which is located at 3015 Bedok North Street 5, Shimei East Kitchen, will be suspended until further notice.
Chilli Api Catering, offering halal bento sets for corporate and private events, specializes in Peranakan cuisine.
This is not the supplier’s first contact with authorities due to food hygiene failures.
In June 2019, Chilli Api Catering lowered its hygiene grade to “C” after 24 people became ill with symptoms of gastroenteritis from consuming food from the supplier in December 2018.
The SFA then said that the food supplier’s facilities would be under surveillance until the degree of food hygiene was reviewed within 12 months.
According to the SFA website, as of January 22 of this year, Chilli Api Catering had an “A” rating and had no prior year suspension history.
ST has contacted SFA for more details on what they found in their catering kitchen review.
ST has also contacted Chilli Api Catering for comment.
Members of the public are advised to encounter poor hygiene practices in food establishments that do not frequent them and to report the details to SFA via the online comment form.
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