Bastard mainstream media tries to influence parents that school canteen uncles and aunties are unhygienic and pre-packed food are safer for students
- Thread starter Boonsiong
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SINGAPORE: A spate of gastroenteritis cases over the past month has reignited concerns over food safety practices in preschools.
All three affected centres – E-Bridge Pre-School at Circuit Road, Mulberry Learning at Punggol and PCF Sparkletots at Mountbatten – prepared meals in-house, leading to questions over whether in-house kitchens or centralised catering provide safer food.
All three affected centres – E-Bridge Pre-School at Circuit Road, Mulberry Learning at Punggol and PCF Sparkletots at Mountbatten – prepared meals in-house, leading to questions over whether in-house kitchens or centralised catering provide safer food.
But food safety experts told CNA that the real issue lies not in where meals are prepared, but in how strictly hygiene protocols are followed.
“Food safety depends less on the kitchen model and more on the level of control applied at each step of food preparation, and how consistently those controls are enforced,” said Mr Richard Ravel, principal consultant of food safety consultancy Food Forward.
In an in-house model, a single kitchen serves one preschool – meaning issues are contained if something goes wrong. However, Mr Ravel noted that with many schools running their own kitchens, the risks are multiplied due to variations in practices and oversight.
Outsourced catering means one kitchen may serve multiple centres, potentially affecting more children if lapses occur. But Mr Ravel said such operations may benefit from tighter controls and a more structured process.
“This also means the caterer carries greater responsibility for keeping the food safe.”
Preschools providing food to children or infants must follow the Health Promotion Board’s Healthy Meals in Preschools Programme, which ensures meals are nutritious, balanced and varied, said the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA).
“Food safety depends less on the kitchen model and more on the level of control applied at each step of food preparation, and how consistently those controls are enforced,” said Mr Richard Ravel, principal consultant of food safety consultancy Food Forward.
In an in-house model, a single kitchen serves one preschool – meaning issues are contained if something goes wrong. However, Mr Ravel noted that with many schools running their own kitchens, the risks are multiplied due to variations in practices and oversight.
Outsourced catering means one kitchen may serve multiple centres, potentially affecting more children if lapses occur. But Mr Ravel said such operations may benefit from tighter controls and a more structured process.
“This also means the caterer carries greater responsibility for keeping the food safe.”
Preschools providing food to children or infants must follow the Health Promotion Board’s Healthy Meals in Preschools Programme, which ensures meals are nutritious, balanced and varied, said the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA).
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