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SINGAPORE – Catering company Spize and its related company Spize Events were fined $ 32,000 in total on Thursday (December 3) for a mass food poisoning incident that sickened more than 60 people and killed an auxiliary police officer.
The Attorney General’s Office (AGC) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a statement that the companies were convicted of 14 offenses related to the November 2018 incident, including possession of food unfit for human consumption.
The companies had supplied bento boxes to security firm Brink’s Singapore for a company event to celebrate Deepavali on November 6, 2018.
Of the 96 people who ate the food delivered, 63 developed gastroenteritis symptoms and 45 were subsequently hospitalized.
Mr. Mohamad Fadli Mohd Saleh, 38, died eight days later of sepsis and multi-organ failure caused by acute gastroenteritis.
“However, there was insufficient evidence to link the death of Mr. Mohamad Fadli to the negligence of any particular individual. As a result, no charges were preferred against any individual,” AGC and SFA said.
The Spize case was one of the top four food poisoning outbreaks in 2018, prompting authorities to impose tougher penalties and push for dissuasive sentences.
Spize Events, a Spize Events licensed restaurant and takeaway store received a maximum fine of $ 10,000, for the charge of possession of food unfit for human consumption, in connection with the food that the companies shipped to Brink’s Singapore .
The companies were also found guilty of crimes related to hiring unregistered food handlers, preparing food in unlicensed locations and failing to keep kitchen utensils and kitchen surfaces clean.
According to court documents, salmonella was found on the surfaces of a kitchen shared by the two companies and in some of their ready-to-eat foods. Fecal matter was also detected in ready-to-eat foods and kitchen utensils.
Most of the hospitalized people were found to be infected with salmonella strains.
“According to the Health Ministry, this salmonella outbreak of common origin was unusually severe due to the short incubation period and the high number of hospitalized cases,” court documents said.
The operating licenses for Spize and Spize Events, which were based in River Valley, were canceled on December 6 of that year.
There are two other Spize outlets at Bedok and Rifle Range Road that are still operating.
The SFA added that it conducts periodic inspections of food outlets and will take strict measures against those who do not comply with food safety regulations.
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