1st food poisoning victim of central kitchen food: River Valley Primary School

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https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...chool-come-down-with-suspected-food-poisoning

60 pupils from River Valley Primary School down with suspected food poisoning​

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Some River Valley Primary pupils felt unwell after lunch break on Jan 14 and reported having symptoms of gastroenteritis the following day.

PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM GOOGLE MAPS

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Food hygiene/safety

Published Jan 16, 2026, 08:37 PM
Updated Jan 16, 2026, 10:00 PM

SINGAPORE – Sixty pupils from River Valley Primary School were reported to have gastroenteritis symptoms after having lunch provided by the school’s central kitchen meal model operator.

The pupils felt unwell after lunch break on Jan 14 and reported having symptoms of gastroenteritis the following day.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said in a joint statement that most of the affected children were back in school on Jan 16, except for four pupils still recovering at home.


None of them was hospitalised, the agencies added.

The school is monitoring the well-being of the pupils, and is working with SFA and CDA to investigate the matter and determine the cause of the incident.

It has also stepped up cleaning and sanitisation of the canteen and other premises, it said.


MOE has reminded canteen operator Gourmetz about the importance of upholding food safety and complying with SFA’s food handling requirements. The operator will continue providing meals for pupils without disruption.

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In reply to queries, a spokesman for Gourmetz said it was alerted to reports of stomach discomfort and suspected food poisoning on Jan 15, including feedback relating to pizza served the day before.

“We take such feedback seriously, and we are working closely with the school leadership team and the SFA to review the situation and establish the facts, including the timeline and the specific meals involved.”


As a precaution, Gourmetz has initiated an internal review and is verifying the end-to-end process from preparation, packing and dispatch to on-site serving of food, the operator added.

“We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities.

“We understand parents’ concerns, and we apologise for the distress and inconvenience caused. We will share updates where appropriate once we have more confirmed information to provide,” Gourmetz said.

River Valley Primary is one of 13 schools in Singapore that have

switched to a central kitchen model

, where students buy food from a single caterer instead of individual canteen stallholders. This comes amid a shortage of school canteen stall operators.


Other than River Valley Primary, Gourmetz

caters to schools

including CHIJ (Kellock), Radin Mas Primary and Blangah Rise Primary.


Some parents told ST that their children had noticed the chicken on the pizza tasting a bit strange. A few parents said their children were fine after consuming the pizza as they had picked the chicken off.

A pupil told his mother that the chicken did not smell good but he ate it anyway, and had diarrhoea the next day.

One father, who wished to remain anonymous, told ST he was disappointed with how the vendor is handling the situation.

“The school leadership, teachers and parent volunteers are doing a spectacular job covering the shortfall of the operator; they should not be blamed,” he said.

“The operator should cover the cost of medical bills and offer refunds, but they have been silent. All communication has only been from the school,” he added.

• Additional reporting by Elisha Tushara

More on this topic​

From pre-school food to Total Defence meals: A look at Singapore’s 2025 gastroenteritis outbreaks​

Why do our school meals increasingly feel like bad ‘army cookhouse’ food?​

See more on​

Food hygiene/safetyPrimary schoolSFA/Singapore Food AgencyMinistry of Education
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MDDI (P) 046/10/2025. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2026 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.

 

[laksaboy]

Sixty pupils from River Valley Primary School were reported to have gastroenteritis symptoms after having lunch provided by the school’s central kitchen meal model operator.

They don't allow independent hawkers to sell food in school canteens now? That's truly fucked up.. More business for the PAP F&B cronies, expand beyond SAF camp cookhouses and prisons.

 

[tobelightlight]

Can sue the kitchen and the school.

 

[eatshitndie]

uh oh, another hub accolade. lao sai hub.

 

[Pinkieslut]

Coolie genes should suffer like that so that they can be more gungho, get ready for sai water and CECA hygiene.

 

[laksaboy]

Can sue the kitchen and the school.

Then you get shamed and demonized by the mouthpiece media, guilty before the trial has even begun, and then ordered to pay the legal fees of the kitchen and the school.

 

[laksaboy]

If it's a central kitchen system, does that mean that the schoolkids have no choice to not eat? Similar to the SAF cookhouse system.

The food has already been prepared and allocated for everyone.