SINGAPORE - The National Environment Agency (NEA) has approved the applications of two food stalls to resume selling ready-to-eat (RTE) raw fish dishes, it said in a joint statement with the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) on Friday

The stalls - Lye Bo Congee and Rui Ji Stall, both at Block 120, Bukit Merah - had applied to use raw salmon from approved sources in their dishes.

The NEA and AVA said they are reviewing seven more applications. There have been 10 in total as of Friday (Jan 8). One licensee had withdrawn its application.

The statement added that it takes about two to three weeks for approval once a stall has submitted the necessary documentation, which includes evidence of proper cold chain management.

The stall premises will also be inspected to ensure it complies with necessary hygiene requirements for the separate processing, handling and storage of RTE raw fish from other raw foods meant for cooking.

The NEA banned the use of freshwater fish in RTE raw food dishes at all food outlets on Dec 5 last year, after tests showed that such fish had "significantly higher" bacterial contamination than saltwater fish.

Food stalls and caterers were also ordered to stop the sale of all raw saltwater fish, including salmon, until they could show that they know how to properly handle the meat. Restaurants were allowed to continue selling raw saltwater fish.

Last year, about 150 people became sick with Group B Streptococcus (GBS) bacteria after they ate freshwater fish prepared to be eaten raw.