Oct 15, 2010
2,456 outlets caught
NEA steps up checks and launches refresher course on hygiene
By Cheryl Ong
More than 100,000 licensed food handlers are now required to take a four-hour-long refresher course in hygiene every 3 years. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
ENHANCED checks from the National Environment Agency (NEA) have led to 2,456 outlets fined for hygiene lapses since September this year, and 17 suspended for falling afoul of regulations. The penalisations come amidst renewed efforts by NEA officers to enforce hygiene standards, including a refresher course on hygiene for licensed food handlers that started on Oct 5.
NEA Environmental Health Department operations head Ms Wong Chiu Ying said the agency has stepped up its checks since it hired 28 more officers to the existing team of 63 for some 33,059 licensed food outlets in Singapore. More than 100,000 licensed food handlers are now required to take a four-hour-long refresher course in hygiene every 3 years, on top of the seven-hour-long basic food hygiene course they must pass to receive a license from the NEA.
The $35 course is currently administered by the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College East at Simei Avenue, which has classes in English and Mandarin. Participants must undergo three hours of presentation on safe food preparation - such as taking care of thawed food, and personal hygiene - and pass a multiple-choice question quiz.
Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.
