'Hope I didn't ruin char siew bao for you': Man finds cockroach in steamed bun

A man got an unwelcome surprise after discovering a cockroach embedded in a char siew bao he had bought from a popular pau store in Tampines.

The man, who declined to be named, told Stomp that he bought nine char siew baos and a chicken bao from Tanjong Rhu Pau at Tampines 1 on April 13 at around 3.30pm.

He said the buns were not steamed at the store, as he had specifically requested them cold to keep for the next day.

He requested them cold so he could keep them for the next day.

"The next day, on April 14, we peeled back the piece of paper below the bao and discovered a cockroach that was embedded in the bao," the man said.

He added that the buns had been immediately refrigerated after he got home - ruling out the possibility that the insect had crawled in later.

"Hence, we were shocked and disgusted, and we didn't even dare to eat the rest of the baos," he added.

"Hope I didn't ruin char siew bao for you."

The man later reported the incident to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

In response, SFA said it conducted an inspection at the stall and found no signs of pest infestation or food safety lapses.

However, the outlet was reminded to maintain cleanliness and ensure their food handlers follow proper food safety protocols.

Shin Min Daily News reported that the store manager, Ms Ye, 47, checked the central kitchen and store but found no problems.

"We clean every day, do deep cleaning regularly, conduct pest control regularly every month, and the staff are not careless".

She added that the customer had not contacted them directly, but hopes he does.

"This way, we'll have a clearer understanding of the situation, and then solve it accordingly and give an explanation."

Members of the public who have food safety concerns can report them through SFA's feedback form at www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback.