THE National Environment Agency can do more to assure the public that hygiene standards here are in good order ("How NEA ensures food handlers uphold good hygiene standards"; Tuesday).
No one doubts that it has in place processes and training requirements that food handlers have to comply with. Despite these measures, serious lapses in food handling persist.
Here are some commonly observed ones:
- At yong tau foo stalls, the exposed food items - usually where queues form and people chat - are an open invitation to contamination.
- At roti prata and popiah stalls, the hawker tossing the prata or rolling the popiah is often seen handling cash as well.
- Buckets of used cutlery and plates are often left in open areas for a long time before being collected for washing - and the perfunctory way this is done makes one cringe.
- The use of plastic gloves, supposedly to ensure hygiene, is rendered pointless when the food handler handles cash with gloved hands.
I am certain there are many other similar practices that leave my fellow Singaporeans speechless. Why do these practices persist despite NEA inspections? Are they not considered health hazards?
Besides stepping up enforcement, the NEA may want to evaluate the best practices on food handling in other countries and adopt those that are feasible here.
For instance, going cashless is the norm at many foodcourts in neighbouring Asian countries; only vouchers or cash cards are accepted at their food stalls. It baffles me why such a practice has not been adopted in the "Smart City" of Singapore.
Merely stating and restating existing processes and requirements is not enough. What we need is practical guidance for our food handlers to do the right thing and minimise health risks to the public. The NEA has to lead the way.
Valerie Valberg-Yeoh (Mrs)
*Letter first appeared on ST Forums (18 Dec)