Caterer’s license revoked in Singapore due to food safety issues

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has canceled the company’s license because of food safety concerns.

Since late March 2024, SFA has received several complaints about the safety of home-delivery catered meals provided by five web-based businesses.

Some of the problems included undercooked and moldy food or the presence of foreign matter such as hair and insects.

An investigation found that the food provided by these online businesses was all supplied by Sakura Buffet Pte, licensed by SFA to offer catering services.

Previous violations reported
SFA also discovered another seven web-based businesses linked to Sakura Buffet Pte.

Inspections at the licensed premises of Sakura Buffet Pte at Geylang Bahru from March to May uncovered several food safety lapses. They included a failure to keep the premises clean and false labeling on the time-stamping of packed food. The food safety management system was also poorly implemented at the site.

SFA had taken enforcement action against Sakura Buffet Pte on four occasions from November 2023 to April 2024 for various food safety and hygiene violations. The agency said despite this, the company failed to improve.

SFA said it canceled the company’s license to protect consumers against any further food safety violations. This means Sakura Buffet Pte cannot operate at their Geylang Bahru premises.

Consumers were advised not to place orders with the 12 web-based businesses linked to Sakura Buffet Pte. They are Yu Mummy Confinement Meals, Home Tingkat Catering, Happy Mamapapa Catering, Vegetarian Buffet, Angel Confinement Meals, After Surgery Food Delivery / Catering, Healthy Meals Catering, Keto Meals Catering, Grain Luscious, Royal Cuisine Group / The Garden Kitchen Pte; Nonya Buffet; and Pregnancy Meals Catering.

Other Enforcement
Several other fines and food seizures were also reported in May in Singapore.

The partner of Suri Rao Coconut Trading was fined SG $8,000 (U.S. $5,900) in court for illegally importing meat products from Malaysia.

In October 2022, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at Tuas Checkpoint detected a truck containing frozen poultry, which was falsely declared as processed food. The case was referred to the Singapore Food Agency, and an investigation found more than 1,200 kilograms of illegally imported poultry.

In another case, Sino You International Pte was fined SG $6,500 (U.S. $4,800) for illegally importing fresh and processed produce. Director Zhang Bao Yin was also fined the same amount for failing to prevent the offense.

In February 2023, officers from the Singapore Food Agency detected more than 2.6 tons of undeclared and under-declared fresh and processed produce in consignments imported from China. The produce included oranges, red and green chilies, chives, and peeled garlic.

In January 2024, SFA officials inspected the premises of Deep Sea Gourmet Pte and found frozen seafood products, such as shrimps, crabmeat, and abalone, stored in three freezers. The site is not licensed as a cold store, and 390 kilograms of frozen seafood products were seized. Deep Sea Gourmet Pte was fined SG $3,000 (U.S. $2,200) for operating an unlicensed cold store.

In May 2024, the Singapore Food Agency seized around 1.6 tons of fresh vegetables and processed food imported illegally from Malaysia.

SFA and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority conducted the operation on vegetable delivery trucks entering Singapore via the Woodlands Checkpoint. Produce included bayam, bitter gourd, tomato, turnips, and peeled onion, imported by two importers in two trucks.

Finally, Lim Guozhi Benjamin, sole proprietor of Polymath Wholesales Trading, was fined SG $8,000 (U.S. $5,900) by the court for illegally importing meat products from Thailand.

In May 2023, inspectors from the Singapore Food Agency checked a refrigerated container vehicle. The officers found about 6.3 tons of meat products, such as chicken, duck, and mutton, that the company imported without a valid permit.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)