20 Students Fall Sick After Eating Total Defence Meals

 

Authorities have suspended the Total Defence food resilience programme after 20 students from the School of the Arts (Sota) reported food poisoning symptoms. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA), Ministry of Education (MOE), Agency for Integrated Care, and food solutions provider Sats have launched an investigation to determine the cause.

The students fell ill after consuming ready-to-eat meals as part of a food resilience preparedness session in conjunction with Total Defence Day. The initiative, aimed at raising awareness about food sustainability and emergency preparedness, involved students sampling meals meant for crisis situations. However, some students began experiencing gastroenteritis symptoms, prompting concerns about food safety.

As of February 19, 20 students had reported symptoms of food poisoning, though none required hospitalization. Teachers and school staff have been checking on the students’ well-being, and parents have been informed of the situation. In response, Sota is recalling all unconsumed meals from students as a precautionary measure.

Authorities have reassured the public that this appears to be an isolated incident. However, they are taking further preventive measures, including replacing all ready-to-eat meals from the same batch to ensure no other students or schools are affected. Investigations are ongoing to pinpoint the cause of the contamination.

Sota vice-principal Ann Tan addressed parents in an email, informing them about the situation and advising students to return any uneaten meals. While the number of affected students represents only about 1 percent of those who participated in the programme, the incident has raised concerns about the safety of pre-packaged meals used in food resilience training.

The Total Defence food resilience programme is part of a larger effort to educate students on food security and survival strategies in times of crisis. However, this incident has put the programme under scrutiny, leading authorities to temporarily halt it until the investigation is complete.

Authorities have emphasized that food safety remains a top priority and that necessary measures will be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. While no widespread outbreak has been reported, the situation highlights the importance of stringent quality control in food distribution, especially in educational settings.

As investigations continue, the focus remains on identifying the cause of contamination and ensuring that similar incidents do not occur in other schools. Authorities are also expected to review food procurement and handling processes to maintain high safety standards.