SINGAPORE: Restaurant chain Spize on Friday (Nov 9) had its licence for its River Valley Road outlet suspended for an unspecified period of time, after 49 people who ate its food fell ill with gastroenteritis.
Of those who fell ill, 21 people have been hospitalised, said the National Environment Agency (NEA), Ministry of Health MOH) and Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) in a joint press release late on Friday.
"The suspension will be in place until NEA is satisfied that the public health risks have been addressed," the release said.
The authorities said they were first notified of the cases on Wednesday and conducted a joint inspection of the restaurant’s premises on the same day.
"Several hygiene lapses were observed, including leaving ready-to-eat food uncovered in a chiller, not providing soap for hand-washing (soap dispenser was faulty) and slotting knives for preparing ready-to-eat food in the gap between the food preparation tables," the authorities said in the press release.
"The operator has been instructed to rectify them immediately," they said.
NEA, MOH and AVA added that the licence of Spize's River Valley Road outlet was suspended to "protect consumers from public health risks from the continued operation of the foodshop".
The outlet has been directed to dispose of all ready-to-eat food, thawed food and perishable food items.
Spize is also required to conduct a "thorough cleaning and sanitising" of its premises, including equipment, utensils, work surfaces and toilets, and to review and rectify lapses in food preparation processes identified during the inspection.
The release also said that AVA has collected food and environmental samples from the outlet as part of the investigation. Laboratory tests are ongoing.
Meanwhile, MOH has collected stool samples from some of the affected cases and referred the restaurant's food handlers for stool screening.
"Based on our joint investigation findings, NEA will take the necessary enforcement actions against the operator for the hygiene infringements found," said the authorities.
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/spize-river-valley-suspended-21-hospitalised-food-poisoning-10913844
Eng's Heritage evidently has taken over the mantle. ;)
Licence of Eng’s Heritage eatery in Northpoint City suspended after 26 people hit with gastroenteritis; 5 still in hospital
SINGAPORE — The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has suspended the licence of Eng’s Heritage eatery in Northpoint City mall after 26 people were reported to have gastroenteritis symptoms after consuming food there.
In a joint media release on Wednesday (Jan 13), the Ministry of Health (MOH) and SFA said that they are investigating the incidents of gastroenteritis which occurred between Jan 7 and 9.
“Five cases are currently hospitalised and are in a stable condition. One additional case has been discharged from hospital,” the authorities said.
The suspension of the eatery’s licence takes effect from Jan 13 until further notice.
All food handlers working there are required to re-attend and pass the Basic Food Hygiene course before they can resume work as food handlers, MOH and SFA said.
The appointed food hygiene officers working at Eng’s Heritage will also be required to re-attend and pass the Food Hygiene Officer course before resuming work.
The suspended premises have been ordered to clean and sanitise the premises, including equipment and utensils, the MOH and SFA said.
Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/licence-engs-heritage-eatery-northpoint-city-suspended-after-26-people-hit-gastroenteritis
WTF Spize is still permitted to run two outlets after this whole incident????
Spize companies fined S$32,000 for 2018 food poisoning incident
SINGAPORE — Two Spize companies were fined a total of S$32,000 on Thursday (Dec 3) over a mass food poisoning incident in 2018.
Spize and related firm Spize Events were convicted of 14 offences, including possessing food unfit for human consumption, hiring unregistered food handlers and having poor hygiene practices, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a joint statement on Thursday.
In their sentencing submissions, prosecutors said that there were "extreme hygiene lapses and blatant flouting of food safety regulations in the kitchen of the accused companies".
They also called it "one of the most serious cases of possession of food that is unfit for human consumption".
On Nov 6 in 2018 between 11am and 12pm, Spize supplied 88 bento sets to security firm Brink’s Singapore for a company event.
The invoice issued to Brink’s stated that the food must be consumed within an hour of delivery. Investigations later revealed that some employees had taken their bento sets home to share with their families.
After consuming the food, 63 out of 96 people fell ill with gastroenteritis symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting. Of these, 45 people had to be hospitalised.
The authorities later found that the food had been contaminated with Salmonella. One dish — belacan egg fried rice — also tested positive for Bacillus Cereus and faecal coliforms.
One person, auxiliary police officer Mohamad Fadli Mohd Saleh, consumed a bento set between 2.53pm and 4pm. He had diarrhoea and vomiting many times that night.
The next morning, he went to a clinic where he was diagnosed with gastroenteritis and was given medication.
On Nov 8, 2018, his condition deteriorated and he became unresponsive. He was taken to the hospital and died on Nov 14, 2018 due to sepsis and multi-organ failure.
As there was insufficient evidence to link Fadli’s death to the negligence of any particular individual, no charges were made against any person, AGC and SFA said.
The operating licences of Spize’s River Valley outlet and Spize Events have been cancelled since Dec 6, 2018.
Spize’s other two outlets at Rifle Range@Temasek Club in Bukit Timah and Simpang Bedok will still be allowed to operate.
Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/spize-companies-fined-s32000-2018-food-poisoning-incident
ORBIGOOT!!!!
NEA terminates Spize restaurant's River Valley outlet licences after fatal food poisoning outbreak
SINGAPORE - The National Environment Agency (NEA) has terminated the operating licences of Spize restaurant in River Valley Road with immediate effect, in view of the "egregious nature" of the food hygiene lapses it found following a fatal food poisoning incident on Nov 6.
A joint inspection on Nov 14 by the NEA, Ministry of Health (MOH) and Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) found lapses such as having seven unregistered food handlers and preparing food outside the licensed kitchen area. There were also poor personal hygiene and food preparation practices observed among the food handlers.
An earlier joint inspection on Nov 7, which led to a suspension of the outlet's licences, found lapses such as leaving ready-to-eat food uncovered in a chiller, not providing soap for hand-washing, and slotting knives for preparing ready-to-eat food in the gap between the food preparation tables.
A joint statement by the MOH, NEA and AVA on Friday (Dec 7) said the authorities found seven food poisoning incidents linked to the outlet between Nov 6 and 9, with 82 reported cases out of 221 people who consumed food prepared there.
The fatal case involved Sats officer Fadli Salleh, 38, who fell ill and died after eating a bento box prepared for a Deepavali celebration organised by security company Brink's Singapore and held on its premises at Kaki Bukit on Nov 6.
Full story at https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/nea-terminates-spize-restaurants-river-valley-outlet-licences-following-fatal-food
NEA,
You guys better wake up your bloody idea and step up the checks on our restaurants and hawker centres.
Cleanliness standards have gone down the drain I shit you not.
I frequent hawker centres, and yo bird droppings can be seen literally EVERYWHERE.
Cleaners are also seen repeatedly using the same cloth to clear bird droppings and clean tables.
Is this acceptable?
Dude died way too young........he was only 38.
A timeline of how a man died from food poisoning after eating food from Spize’s River Valley outlet
Spize is a pretty popular restaurant chain with its four outlets across the country offering reliably good halal-certified Asian and Western fare till the wee hours of the morning. Its branch at River Valley — a post-clubbing supper haven when Zouk was still at Jiak Kim — went through a revamp in 2014, trading its street-side eatery vibe for a chic aesthetics and cafe-like interiors.
That particular branch, however, will find it superbly hard to get its usual stream of patrons coming in day and night. Especially after a man died from gastroenteritis yesterday after digging into food prepared by Spize’s River Valley outlet last week.
Here’s a rough timeline of what happened
Nov 6
According to The Straits Times, Spize River Valley had prepared bento boxes for a Deepavali party organized by security company Brink’s Singapore on Nov 6. Spize co-owner Haresh Sabnani informed ST that his restaurant had supplied 88 bento sets for the party.
Nov 7
A joint investigation was launched by the Ministry of Health (MOH), the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore after they were alerted to a total of 49 people afflicted with food poisoning — 21 people even needed hospitalization. The cases of gastroenteritis were traced back to the consumption of food prepared at Spize’s outlet at 409 River Valley Road.
With gastroenteritis, the stomach and intestines are irritated and inflamed, typically caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Symptoms involve vomiting and diarrhea.
Inspections conducted on the premises that day found several hygiene lapses, including ready-to-eat food left uncovered in a chiller, the lack of soap for hand-washing and knives being stored inappropriately.
Nov 9
In a joint statement, MOH, NEA, and AVA assured that the outlet’s license was suspended, and will only be restored after public health risks have been addressed.
Along with the suspension, NEA ordered the restaurant to dispose all of its food items and conduct thorough sanitization of its premises, including equipment, utensils, works surfaces and toilets. The authority also assured that the necessary enforcement actions will be taken against Spize for any infringements found.
Nov 14
The New Paper found out yesterday morning that the number of people affected by the food was way higher: 69. The number of people hospitalized stood at 46, the MOH confirmed.
Though many were discharged, one remained in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Sengkang General Hospital. The patient had been in critical condition, with the virus affecting his lungs and kidneys.
Hours later, ST confirmed that the man died.
The number of people with gastroenteritis was upped to 72. As of last night, nine people remain in stable condition in hospital, while 36 others have been discharged, confirmed MOH.
More at https://coconuts.co/singapore/news/timeline-man-died-food-poisoning-eating-food-spizes-river-valley-outlet/
Anil and Haresh Sabnani , the two brothers who own Spize have blood on their hands.
Spize GG liao, kenna bombarded by netizens left right centre.
闹出人命 ........ may the guy who passed away RIP.
SATS officer who consumed food from Spize dies; 9 others still in hospital
SINGAPORE: An auxiliary police officer who became ill after consuming food from Spize died on Wednesday evening (Nov 14).
Fadli Saleh, an employee of ground-handling firm SATS, was among 72 people who fell sick after eating food supplied by the restaurant chain's River Valley outlet.
The food was catered for a Deepavali celebration organised by security company Brink's Singapore.
The 38-year-old was being treated in the intensive care unit of a hospital at the time of his death, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in response to Channel NewsAsia's queries.
"The cause of death is pending as it has been classified as a coroner’s case," the ministry said.
As of 10pm on Wednesday, another nine people were still in hospital and 36 others have been discharged, MOH said. Those hospitalised are in a "stable condition", it added.
More at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/spize-sats-officer-dies-food-poisoning-river-valley-10931294
Apparently things have gotten worse.....
Sats officer in ICU after eating food from Spize
SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - A Sats officer is in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU) after consuming food from Spize.
He ate the catered food during a Deepavali celebration on Nov 6.
The New Paper understands that his lungs and kidneys are affected.
More at https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/sats-officer-in-icu-after-eating-tainted-food-from-spize
SORRY NO CURE.