Unannounced Checks on Food Service Operators and Caterers for Food Safety and Hygiene in Past Five Years

17 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources in the past five years, what proportion of food safety and hygiene checks performed on food service operators and caterers have been unannounced checks.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The National Environment Agency (NEA) currently licenses more than 39,000 retail food establishments, including food outlets such as restaurants and caterers, to ensure that the food sold is prepared hygienically and safe for consumption.

All inspections of retail food establishments conducted by NEA are unannounced. In the past five years, NEA has conducted more than 606,000 inspections in total.

NEA will take strict enforcement action against retail food establishments that do not adopt proper food hygiene practices, as well as for any food hygiene lapses found. NEA will continue to monitor the situation closely and step up inspections, if need be, to safeguard food safety and public health.