Thursday, October 15, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
More pictures on pasar malam
Using tongs only
Using bare hands
No gloves, no aprons
Where are the gloves?All these stall holders did not use gloves when coming into contact with the food. While having an apron is a preventive measure, the real germs & bacteria comes from the head and the hands.
Stall at Pasar Malam Woodlands (Bad Example)
Pasar Malam at Woodlands
TOO MANY STALLHOLDERS. ARE THEY REGISTERED?
FOOD ARE NEATLY DISPLAYED
STALL HOLDER WEARING APRON BUT NO GLOVES
NO GLOVES
STALLHOLDER IS WEARING GLOVES AND MASK
PASAR MALAM NEXT TO CAUSEWAY POINTDURING THE FASTING MONTH.
No ABC NO FOOD?
How many people buy food from Pasar Malam? Do you see blue prints of A, B, C at Pasar Malam? No, we don’t. The latest we heard is that NEA cannot possibly have these stalls given grading because of their short duration at these ‘mobile’ site (Pasar Malam). But surely, they can always target on the people and not the stall — have the person, the main stall vendor to attend classes, pass their exam before they can have license to sell at Pasar Malam (just an example of a suggestion). There are just so many solutions and so many factors to consider when examining the hygiene of the public.
You Can Rely On Me
Can you judge a stall just by those lettering? For years I have been staying in Woodlands. For years, I had seen the same grading at my neighbourhood food stalls and the ones at shopping centres. They have never been changed. Neither was the food really hygienic despite the grading. If I have to rely on these grading, or if I relied entirely on these grading, I would have food-poisoned myself long ago and not only one time, but at least a few times.
Lets take a look at what some people have to say about the grading or rating system of NEA:
ABC’s and hawker stalls
FOOD stall operators are given cleanliness grades by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to help customers make an informed choice.
11 April 2009
But if the stalls don’t display the grades, how can customers know about the cleanliness level?
Does it mean that stalls that are ungraded are more inferior to stalls that are graded?Does it mean that stalls that are graded A is definitely better than B, and B definitely better than C?Does it mean that you cannot buy food or you are not going to buy any food knowing that there aren’t any rating done to the stall?
The New Paper team visited 18 hawker centres and found that only some eight out of 10 of the stalls had displayed the grades – despite it being compulsory to do so.
I just went to Kou Fu at Toa Payoh yesterday. That was not the first time I ate at Toa Payoh Kou Fu. I did not see any grading or ABC at Kou Fu all these while. And since yesterday I was writing about all these rating matters, while I was eating food at Kou Fu, I looked around me (all the stalls). There were no rating, no ABC, no certificate of commendation also at any of the stalls. Richard said they had kept it. But why not displayed if they have? If they had kept it, it would be around the premises, but we could not see any either. What is really happening if this is really said to be COMPULSORY?
But hawkers who did not put up the squarish grade had a host of reasons for not doing so: Lost it, left it at home, didn’t know they had to put it up.
I thought NEA had regular checkups on these stalls.
As quoted: The SRP is a systematic process that enables the foodcourt operators to sustain their excellence in food hygiene. It comprises of regular audits carried out by the foodcourt supervisors and uses a self-check system to help stall operators keep track of their operational performance. Food stalls are assessed on areas such as housekeeping, the cleanliness of the preparation area, pest infestation and food and personal hygiene. This system also advocates regular documentation and periodic reviews by the foodcourt management, which are complemented by inputs from NEA. In addition, each foodcourt is expected to have a professional cleaning team (preferably NSRS-trained) that maintains and ensures a clean and pest free environment.
Just how reliable are these information?
The grading system was introduced by NEA in 1997 as a cleanliness guide for customers.
Madam T S Ang, a stall owner at Lau Pa Sat, pleaded ignorance.
‘I did not know that I had to display the grading. I heard that some other store owners weren’t putting it up either. So I decided to follow suit,’ she claimed.
Her stall is graded B.
Mr Ravi Suppramaniam, a stall owner at Yishun block 418, had another reason.
‘The grading was lost during store renovations which took place in 2007,’ he explained.
Over at Laksa Siglap, a stall in Geylang temporary market, a worker claimed: ‘We accidentally took the grading sign home while packing up the stall.’
Stalls are graded by the NEA on several criteria, including general housekeeping, cleanliness and food and personal hygiene.
Consistently GOOD?
How can all these happen if there are regular audits or checks done by NEA staff? Since 1997 until now, none of the stalls at Woodlands which I had patronized been changed of their rating. Is it possible? 1997 to 2009, all the rating remains either at A or at B for the stalls that I had patronized at Woodlands!
The grades are: A, B, C or D, with A being the best.
Reason For Motivation
If A is the best, there is no more room for improvement. Perhaps NEA should look into A STAR, the distinction, the ‘flying star’ that is going to stand out in time to come. How can there be NO CHANGES over the years from 1997 to 2009?? I cannot imagine that!
Said Mr Chan Wai San, Director of the Hawkers Department at NEA: ‘All stores graded satisfy NEA’s requirements. If the stalls are graded a C or D, we will pay more attention to the stores, and our officers will visit them more often.‘
That is why sometimes C is more hygienic than A. As mentioned in my previous post. Those with A, and always remain A, will be complacent and take advantage of the fact that they are “A” and can compromise on certain food quality that they provide.
With years of observation, you can never see a grade of A at hawker centre. If hawker centre can get B is consider very good already. For shopping centres, or air-conditioned premises, the norm for the stalls are always A. This is another question mark….
In the recent food poisoning case involving an Indian Rojak stall at Geylang Serai, the stall had displayed a ‘B’ grade when it actually had a ‘C’.
How can such thing happened? Shouldn’t they collect back the old certificate or had a date stamped on every blue printed grades? Even cars need to renew their license. Insurance agents need to renew theirs too. But these certificates are forever?
My curiosity was aroused yet again whether there are any date written on these certificates (or expiry date if any).
A points demerit system is used in dealing with hawkers who commit public health offences.
Hawkers are awarded two, four or six points depending on the severity of their offence. If they accumulate 12 points within 12 months their license will be revoked or suspended.
-Darren Foong, Ervina Mohd Jamil, Naveen Kanagalingam, newsroom interns
How many people buy food from Pasar Malam? Do you see blue prints of A, B, C at Pasar Malam? No, we don’t. The latest we heard is that NEA cannot possibly have these stalls given grading because of their short duration at these ‘mobile’ site (Pasar Malam). But surely, they can always target on the people and not the stall — have the person, the main stall vendor to attend classes, pass their exam before they can have license to sell at Pasar Malam (just an example of a suggestion). There are just so many solutions and so many factors to consider when examining the hygiene of the public.
You Can Rely On Me
Can you judge a stall just by those lettering? For years I have been staying in Woodlands. For years, I had seen the same grading at my neighbourhood food stalls and the ones at shopping centres. They have never been changed. Neither was the food really hygienic despite the grading. If I have to rely on these grading, or if I relied entirely on these grading, I would have food-poisoned myself long ago and not only one time, but at least a few times.
Lets take a look at what some people have to say about the grading or rating system of NEA:
ABC’s and hawker stalls
FOOD stall operators are given cleanliness grades by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to help customers make an informed choice.
11 April 2009
But if the stalls don’t display the grades, how can customers know about the cleanliness level?
Does it mean that stalls that are ungraded are more inferior to stalls that are graded?Does it mean that stalls that are graded A is definitely better than B, and B definitely better than C?Does it mean that you cannot buy food or you are not going to buy any food knowing that there aren’t any rating done to the stall?
The New Paper team visited 18 hawker centres and found that only some eight out of 10 of the stalls had displayed the grades – despite it being compulsory to do so.
I just went to Kou Fu at Toa Payoh yesterday. That was not the first time I ate at Toa Payoh Kou Fu. I did not see any grading or ABC at Kou Fu all these while. And since yesterday I was writing about all these rating matters, while I was eating food at Kou Fu, I looked around me (all the stalls). There were no rating, no ABC, no certificate of commendation also at any of the stalls. Richard said they had kept it. But why not displayed if they have? If they had kept it, it would be around the premises, but we could not see any either. What is really happening if this is really said to be COMPULSORY?
But hawkers who did not put up the squarish grade had a host of reasons for not doing so: Lost it, left it at home, didn’t know they had to put it up.
I thought NEA had regular checkups on these stalls.
As quoted: The SRP is a systematic process that enables the foodcourt operators to sustain their excellence in food hygiene. It comprises of regular audits carried out by the foodcourt supervisors and uses a self-check system to help stall operators keep track of their operational performance. Food stalls are assessed on areas such as housekeeping, the cleanliness of the preparation area, pest infestation and food and personal hygiene. This system also advocates regular documentation and periodic reviews by the foodcourt management, which are complemented by inputs from NEA. In addition, each foodcourt is expected to have a professional cleaning team (preferably NSRS-trained) that maintains and ensures a clean and pest free environment.
Just how reliable are these information?
The grading system was introduced by NEA in 1997 as a cleanliness guide for customers.
Madam T S Ang, a stall owner at Lau Pa Sat, pleaded ignorance.
‘I did not know that I had to display the grading. I heard that some other store owners weren’t putting it up either. So I decided to follow suit,’ she claimed.
Her stall is graded B.
Mr Ravi Suppramaniam, a stall owner at Yishun block 418, had another reason.
‘The grading was lost during store renovations which took place in 2007,’ he explained.
Over at Laksa Siglap, a stall in Geylang temporary market, a worker claimed: ‘We accidentally took the grading sign home while packing up the stall.’
Stalls are graded by the NEA on several criteria, including general housekeeping, cleanliness and food and personal hygiene.
Consistently GOOD?
How can all these happen if there are regular audits or checks done by NEA staff? Since 1997 until now, none of the stalls at Woodlands which I had patronized been changed of their rating. Is it possible? 1997 to 2009, all the rating remains either at A or at B for the stalls that I had patronized at Woodlands!
The grades are: A, B, C or D, with A being the best.
Reason For Motivation
If A is the best, there is no more room for improvement. Perhaps NEA should look into A STAR, the distinction, the ‘flying star’ that is going to stand out in time to come. How can there be NO CHANGES over the years from 1997 to 2009?? I cannot imagine that!
Said Mr Chan Wai San, Director of the Hawkers Department at NEA: ‘All stores graded satisfy NEA’s requirements. If the stalls are graded a C or D, we will pay more attention to the stores, and our officers will visit them more often.‘
That is why sometimes C is more hygienic than A. As mentioned in my previous post. Those with A, and always remain A, will be complacent and take advantage of the fact that they are “A” and can compromise on certain food quality that they provide.
With years of observation, you can never see a grade of A at hawker centre. If hawker centre can get B is consider very good already. For shopping centres, or air-conditioned premises, the norm for the stalls are always A. This is another question mark….
In the recent food poisoning case involving an Indian Rojak stall at Geylang Serai, the stall had displayed a ‘B’ grade when it actually had a ‘C’.
How can such thing happened? Shouldn’t they collect back the old certificate or had a date stamped on every blue printed grades? Even cars need to renew their license. Insurance agents need to renew theirs too. But these certificates are forever?
My curiosity was aroused yet again whether there are any date written on these certificates (or expiry date if any).
A points demerit system is used in dealing with hawkers who commit public health offences.
Hawkers are awarded two, four or six points depending on the severity of their offence. If they accumulate 12 points within 12 months their license will be revoked or suspended.
-Darren Foong, Ervina Mohd Jamil, Naveen Kanagalingam, newsroom interns
The dangers that lurk...in food handling
Do you know what the most common cause of food poisoning is? And have you heard of the danger temperature zone?
Fri, Apr 17, 2009The Sunday Times
By Shuli Sudderuddin
While a dirty environment may lead to food poisoning, an even surer way of causing people to become ill is if the food was prepared in an unhygienic manner, said experts. There are several ways this can happen.
Mixing raw and cooked food
Dr Leong Lai Peng said the most common cause of food poisoning is when uncooked food is mixed with food that will later be eaten raw.
'Bacteria thrive in the serum in blood on raw meat. So, cutting chicken on a cutting board and cutting cucumbers to eat raw afterwards could lead to sickness,' said Dr Leong, a senior lecturer at the food science and technology programme, department of chemistry, at the National University of Singapore.
Improper storage of food
Not storing food properly can also cause problems, said Ms Petrina Lim, section head of the diploma in applied food science & nutrition course at Temasek Applied Science School.
She said food should not be stored at between 5 deg C and 60deg C. This is considered the 'temperature danger zone'. At this range, most bacteria can multiply quickly. All food in general should be cooked thoroughly at temperatures above 74 deg C.
She said that seafood in particular should be handled with care as bruises and punctures to it will make it spoil more rapidly.
Leaving cooked food outdoors for more than two hours can also increase the risk of contamination as 'it will have cooled down to a temperature which encourages bacterial growth', she said.
Added Dr Leong: 'Dishes that are kept outside for display such as mixed rice dishes should be kept hot by burners to avoid breeding germs. If the food is still bubbling, it is safe to eat.'
Bacteria that commonly breed on food include Listeria, which can be found on food that is cooked and chilled and can cause miscarriages and death.
Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is a harmless bacterium found in the gut. However, a poisonous strain, 0157:H7, found in the intestines of animals and on fruit and vegetables, can cause severe food poisoning.
Not maintaining the 'cold chain'
Bacteria multiply rapidly in a tropical climate and so food that requires refrigeration, such as fresh meat and seafood, should be maintained at a temperature of 4 deg C, said Ms Lim.
Food that is thawed repeatedly or not properly chilled can easily breed bacteria. This means that food should be moved between cold areas in a 'chain' - from supermarket to fridge - as quickly as possible.
Improper handling of food
The staphylococcus aureus bacterium, commonly found on the skin or nose and also on pimples and boils, can transfer onto food if the handler touches the bacterium source while preparing food. This bacterium multiplies in many types of food, said Dr Leong. It causes nausea and vomiting if ingested.
Food handlers who do not wash their hands after going to the toilet may also contaminate food with salmonella, an organism that causes vomiting or diarrhoea.
*This story was first published in thesundaytimes.
Source: http://www.asiaone.com/print/Health/Eat%2BRight/Story/A1Story20090417-135891.html
Food for thought
While it is the food handlers' responsibility to ensure that they are selling clean and safe food, is it not for consumers to help them?
We should also do our part in staying alert when it comes to the food we eat. Although it seems normal for pasar malams to provide food that might not be as hygienic as those in hawker centres and food courts, it is up to us to ask for better, cleaner food for the sake of our own health.
We should not simply wait for those of higher authority, such as the NEA, to act before we start to realise or recognise that this problem ought to be addressed.
This problem basically arises from individual mindsets. As long as we put in the extra effort, we may influence the people around us. In this case, we may be able to get stallholders to see the error of their ways and begin to diligently uphold hygiene standards even for pasar malams.
As in the case of the Rojak and PrimaDeli incidents, we CANNOT wait for something else more serious to occur before we start to step up our actions.
The ownership lies equally with the consumers as well as the stallholders/food handlers.
Fri, Apr 17, 2009The Sunday Times
By Shuli Sudderuddin
While a dirty environment may lead to food poisoning, an even surer way of causing people to become ill is if the food was prepared in an unhygienic manner, said experts. There are several ways this can happen.
Mixing raw and cooked food
Dr Leong Lai Peng said the most common cause of food poisoning is when uncooked food is mixed with food that will later be eaten raw.
'Bacteria thrive in the serum in blood on raw meat. So, cutting chicken on a cutting board and cutting cucumbers to eat raw afterwards could lead to sickness,' said Dr Leong, a senior lecturer at the food science and technology programme, department of chemistry, at the National University of Singapore.
Improper storage of food
Not storing food properly can also cause problems, said Ms Petrina Lim, section head of the diploma in applied food science & nutrition course at Temasek Applied Science School.
She said food should not be stored at between 5 deg C and 60deg C. This is considered the 'temperature danger zone'. At this range, most bacteria can multiply quickly. All food in general should be cooked thoroughly at temperatures above 74 deg C.
She said that seafood in particular should be handled with care as bruises and punctures to it will make it spoil more rapidly.
Leaving cooked food outdoors for more than two hours can also increase the risk of contamination as 'it will have cooled down to a temperature which encourages bacterial growth', she said.
Added Dr Leong: 'Dishes that are kept outside for display such as mixed rice dishes should be kept hot by burners to avoid breeding germs. If the food is still bubbling, it is safe to eat.'
Bacteria that commonly breed on food include Listeria, which can be found on food that is cooked and chilled and can cause miscarriages and death.
Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is a harmless bacterium found in the gut. However, a poisonous strain, 0157:H7, found in the intestines of animals and on fruit and vegetables, can cause severe food poisoning.
Not maintaining the 'cold chain'
Bacteria multiply rapidly in a tropical climate and so food that requires refrigeration, such as fresh meat and seafood, should be maintained at a temperature of 4 deg C, said Ms Lim.
Food that is thawed repeatedly or not properly chilled can easily breed bacteria. This means that food should be moved between cold areas in a 'chain' - from supermarket to fridge - as quickly as possible.
Improper handling of food
The staphylococcus aureus bacterium, commonly found on the skin or nose and also on pimples and boils, can transfer onto food if the handler touches the bacterium source while preparing food. This bacterium multiplies in many types of food, said Dr Leong. It causes nausea and vomiting if ingested.
Food handlers who do not wash their hands after going to the toilet may also contaminate food with salmonella, an organism that causes vomiting or diarrhoea.
*This story was first published in thesundaytimes.
Source: http://www.asiaone.com/print/Health/Eat%2BRight/Story/A1Story20090417-135891.html
Food for thought
While it is the food handlers' responsibility to ensure that they are selling clean and safe food, is it not for consumers to help them?
We should also do our part in staying alert when it comes to the food we eat. Although it seems normal for pasar malams to provide food that might not be as hygienic as those in hawker centres and food courts, it is up to us to ask for better, cleaner food for the sake of our own health.
We should not simply wait for those of higher authority, such as the NEA, to act before we start to realise or recognise that this problem ought to be addressed.
This problem basically arises from individual mindsets. As long as we put in the extra effort, we may influence the people around us. In this case, we may be able to get stallholders to see the error of their ways and begin to diligently uphold hygiene standards even for pasar malams.
As in the case of the Rojak and PrimaDeli incidents, we CANNOT wait for something else more serious to occur before we start to step up our actions.
The ownership lies equally with the consumers as well as the stallholders/food handlers.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
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