Singapore has reported 187 cases of gastroenteritis linked to ready-to-eat (RTE) meals distributed as part of Total Defence Day, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on March 4. The revelation comes after authorities initially described the incident as "isolated," when 20 students from the School of the Arts (SOTA) fell ill after consuming the meals.
Of the 187 confirmed cases as of March 3, 184 were from schools, two from Active Ageing Centres, and one from a public agency. This accounts for about 0.16% of the total participants who received the meals. While all affected individuals have recovered, none required hospitalization.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has tested samples of the meals but found no foodborne pathogens. However, investigations by SFA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) are ongoing, with corrective actions expected if lapses are detected.
The RTE meals, developed by SATS for emergency preparedness, were part of the Food Resilience Preparedness Programme (FRPP). Designed with a shelf life of up to eight months, they do not require refrigeration and can be consumed at room temperature. The programme aimed to distribute meals to over 100,000 students and teachers across more than 90 schools, as well as 8,000 seniors at Active Ageing Centres.
The meals were set to be distributed between February 15 and 28, but after reports of food poisoning, the FRPP was suspended on February 20. Authorities then reached out to other institutions to check for additional cases.
MPs Tan Wu Meng (PAP-Jurong) and Dennis Tan (WP-Hougang) questioned the causes of the outbreak, the extent of contamination, and whether penalties would be imposed on SATS. Ms Fu stated that investigations are still ongoing.
SFA had previously inspected SATS’ premises on January 23 before the FRPP rollout and found no food safety violations. Additional food safety measures were also implemented for the programme, including individual leak tests for each meal and microbiological testing by an accredited laboratory.
MPs also raised concerns about whether more stringent food safety testing and shelf-life studies should be required. Ms Fu responded that all SFA-licensed establishments must comply with food safety regulations, including measures to prevent cross-contamination, maintain hygiene, and ensure food workers are trained in safety protocols.
She acknowledged the need to restore public confidence in RTE meals but emphasized that concrete steps can only be determined after the investigation concludes. An after-action review will be conducted to identify lessons from the incident.
Highlighting the importance of food resilience, Ms Fu said that this programme is part of Singapore’s efforts to prepare for disruptions in food supply and cooking facilities. She added that while the programme is currently suspended, the government is committed to refining it to ensure its effectiveness in future emergencies.
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