SINGAPORE: Sabotage may have taken place at The Royals Premium Cakes factory in Bedok and the company thinks it could be an insider job.

This was what its director Joy Tang claimed could have happened after a chemical contaminant, believed to be a bleaching agent, was discovered in one of the ingredients on Sunday.

The staff of The Royals Premium Cakes were about to make pies to be sold the next day when they noticed something unusual.

Ms Tang, describing what happened, said: "At about 11.30, they began to use one particular ingredient for chicken mushroom pies. When they opened up the ingredients, they realised that there was a very strong smell of bleach in the ingredients.

"When I went to check, I was very sure it was bleach, but it's still under the (investigation of) AVA to check whether it is. I realised it would be a deliberate sabotage, so we called in the police immediately.

"We do have some people in mind who are suspicious, but I do not want to say anything until the police come back to us."

Ms Tang claimed that the suspected sabotage could have taken place between Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Fortunately, the products sold at its five outlets were not affected.

"In fact, the contaminant was discovered before it could be used in the production. On top of that, whatever we produced yesterday was meant for Monday. So none of the contaminant has gone into the products because it was made on Saturday," she said.

The factory will remain suspended pending investigations by the police and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).

AVA said it had taken samples of pies, cakes and other ingredients for laboratory analyses. It will only lift the suspension when it is sure that the food is safe to eat.

The company is currently conducting a thorough cleaning of the factory under the supervision of AVA. It has incurred losses of at least S$30,000 after halting its production.

Although no complaints have been received so far, Ms Tang promised compensation for customers who become unwell after eating the products and to refund customers who have bought the products if they wish to do so.

Customers can call its hotline at 6444-2262 or seek refund at any of its four takeaway outlets at Tampines Mall, Chevron House, Lot 1 and Square 2 from noon to 5pm.


- 938LIVE/CNA/so