Fewer hygiene inspections of food stalls and caterers were carried out last year, partly due to the disruption caused by the two-month-long circuit breaker which led to a number of food establishments ceasing operations.
However, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) resumed its usual frequency of inspections after June, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu in Parliament yesterday.
She added that the authorities have kept up standards via other means, including by issuing advisories and other engagement efforts. These efforts, which continued during the circuit breaker from April to June last year, also included sanitation and hygiene checklists for food establishments.
Ms Fu was responding to a question by Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio GRC) on how often the authorities conduct hygiene checks on food stalls and catering licensees, whether these have been affected by the circuit breaker measures, and what steps have been taken to improve stalls' cleanliness when suspensions are issued.
The SFA makes sure stallholders clean their stalls regularly and that workers who handle food attend and pass the requisite food safety courses.
Ms Fu said that from April 2019 to March last year, before the circuit breaker period, SFA conducted more than 47,000 inspections, or about two inspections per food stall or caterer. This rate of inspection later "temporarily decreased".
She added: "The inspection frequency is guided by the risk profile of the food establishments, which is based on the premises type, nature of food sold, food-handling process and compliance track record.
"SFA also conducts ad hoc inspections in response to feedback received from the public."
All food handlers for stalls or caterers whose licence has been suspended must re-attend and pass a basic food hygiene course before they are able to resume work, she said.
Food hygiene officers who oversee the suspended premises will also be required to redo and pass a food and beverage hygiene audit course to continue their supervisory work.
SFA will re-inspect the premises after the suspension has been lifted to make sure the problems previously identified have been fixed.
Clement Yong
