When I Was Young

Albert Centre Temporary Market
Hygiene grades dropped after move; centre gets first spring-cleaning for the year

ESTHER NG
estherng@mediacorp.com.sg

An NEA officer inspecting a stall at Albert Centre Temporary Market yesterday.OOI BOON KEONG

GRADES dropped when hawkers from 270 Queen Street moved further up the road to new premises at the Albert Centre Temporary Market last July.

The 70 dry goods stores, 29 wet market stalls and 73 cooked food stalls had to shift because their previous premises are being upgraded. Some hawkers said that their hygiene rating dropped to C when they moved over.

“We used to be B, but now it’s C. The National Environment Agency (NEA) officer said it is because the place is a temporary market,” said Ms Jamayah Hassan of Indonesia Satay Stall.

Currently, only two of the 73 cooked food stalls are graded A, while four are a B. The remaining 67 hawkers all received Cs. Previously, there were four A-grade stalls, 49 B-grade and 20 C-grade stalls. According to the NEA, the change in grading for some stalls was due to “housekeeping and poorer fittings and fixtures at the temporary premises”.

It explained that the stalls had “to be freshly assessed” when they moved to the temporary location. The NEA gave the stallholders three months to settle in before it conducted the grading exercise. In the case of the cooked food stallholders, the assessment took place on Sept 30 and new decals were given to them on Oct 6.

Yesterday, the centre got its first spring-cleaning for the year. It was a move planned since mid-March, said the centre’s hawker committee chairman Michael Tan.

The committee has also stepped up its cleaning regime since the food poisoning outbreak at Geylang Serai Temporary Market.

“We now clear plates and food debris hourly. We used to do this after busy periods. We’ve also increased the frequency of our cleaning from two to three times a day on top of the end-of-the-day hose down,” said Mr Tan.

A contractor carries out the cleaning of drains, toilets and common areas.

Yesterday, NEA officers were also on hand to inspect the premises. They climbed on chairs to look at the top of cupboards as well as behind them, shining their torches to see better. They also ran their fingers along the sides and under shelves, checking for dirt, grime or vermin.

“We check for chipped crockery, the shelves above the cooking area and whether rubbish is properly disposed of,” said Mr Dennis Tan, one of the officers.

Stall holders told Today that they have no qualms about the extra vigilance.They also said they experienced a slight business dip during the initial reports of the Geylang Serai outbreak, but business has since recovered.

From TODAY, News - Tuesday, 14-April-2009

Channel NewsAsia - Monday, April 13

SINGAPORE : Two more people have come down with food poisoning after eating at the steamboat restaurant BaShu RenJia in Geylang on Friday, bringing the total number of cases to 14.

Two were hospitalised, and one of them has since been discharged

The case comes hot on the heels of another mass food poisoning case involving a rojak stall at Geylang Serai Temporary Market.

The steamboat restaurant operator said that after the incident on Friday, five officers from the National Environment Agency (NEA) came to collect food samples for testing.

A joint statement from the Health Ministry and NEA said that they did not detect any hygiene lapses likely to be linked to the food poisoning, after conducting checks on the premises.

And so while the shop will remain in operation, the operator has advised its customers to ensure their food is thoroughly cooked before consumption.

However, 13 of its food handlers have been sent for screening at the Communicable Disease Centre.

The place, which has a "B" grade for hygiene, said it has since beefed up its level of cleanliness.

Wu Xiao Ju, worker, said: "After the incident, we cleaned every corner of the place. It has been cleaned thoroughly. Our ingredients are fresh and the food items are prepared every day. And we use detergent to clean the tables, floor and walls."

The restaurant said it received many calls from concerned customers following the incident.

Business has since dropped by half, but some customers are still patronising the place.

One customer said: "I am confident of the food quality at this restaurant. I am not worried at all."

The restaurant said some customers who are not used to the spiciness of the steamboat could end up with upset stomachs.

Channel NewsAsia spoke with Wang Zhen Hui, one of the people affected by the food poisoning. He and seven others were hit after eating at the place Friday night. Mr Wang ended up in hospital.

He said: "When I was at the hospital, I met this stranger. He was on the bed next to me. He had the same symptoms. He also ate the steamboat that night. So I guessed it could be the plates because they felt very oily."

He was discharged on Saturday afternoon to recuperate at home while his friends received outpatient treatment. — CNA/ms

From Yahoo! News, Singapore. Find the source article here.