Spize and Spize Events fined $32k over mass food poisoning incident in 2018

Food caterer Spize and its related company Spize Events were yesterday fined $32,000 over a mass food poisoning incident in 2018.

The two firms were convicted of 14 offences relating to the November 2018 incident, which made 63 people sick and caused 45 of them to be hospitalised.

An auxiliary police officer who also consumed the food died eight days later.

The charges include possession of food unfit for human consumption, for which they were handed the maximum $10,000 fine, said the Attorney-General's Chambers and Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

However, there was insufficient evidence to link the death of Sats officer Mohamad Fadli Mohd Saleh to the negligence of any particular individual.

As a result, no charges were preferred against any individual, the authorities said.

Mr Fadli, 38, died after eating food catered by Spize that had been contaminated with salmonella.

Spize's licensed takeaway outlet in River Valley had supplied 88 bento boxes to Brink's Singapore, the security firm where Mr Fadli was deployed, on Nov 6, 2018, for a company event to celebrate Deepavali.

Of the 96 people who ate the food, 63 developed gastroenteritis symptoms.

Mr Fadli, a father of two and his family's sole breadwinner, was among those hospitalised, and he died of sepsis and multi-organ failure brought about by acute gastroenteritis on Nov 14.

Spize and Spize Events had their licences cancelled on Dec 6, 2018.

Salmonella was found on ingredients, ready-to-eat food and high-touch surfaces in the kitchen shared by the two firms.

Faecal matter was also detected in ready-to-eat food and kitchen tools.

The firms were also found guilty of hiring unregistered food handlers, preparing food in unlicensed premises, and failing to keep cooking utensils and kitchen surfaces clean.

Separately, they are being sued by Mr Fadli's wife, Madam Noor Hidayu Md Ishak, 37, for more than $631,000 in damages, The Straits Times had reported earlier.

Outlets in Bedok and Rifle Range Road are still operational.

The SFA said yesterday: "Food operators play a critical role in upholding public health and safety, and must ensure that food safety regulations are adhered to at all times."