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SINGAPORE: The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has ordered a PrimaDeli factory to shut down its operation.
AVA said that "in view of the food poisoning outbreak and severity of the situation, Prima Food is required to stop all operations at the factory with immediate effect until the outbreak is over".
Prima Food is the management of the home-grown bakery chain PrimaDeli.
In the meantime, the company is required to step up the hygiene and sanitation standards in the factory, and to review the food processing procedures thoroughly.
AVA will continue to carry out inspections at the factory, and the company will only be allowed to resume food production when all is safe.
At the same time, Prima Food has decided to temporarily close all retail outlets from Wednesday. Tentatively, retail operations are expected to resume on 11 December.
Prima Food also said it "regrets" that 106 people were taken ill after eating its contaminated chocolate cakes. It said the entire bakery processing facility is undergoing disinfection.
Initial investigations had found that one of its workers could have been a carrier of the Salmonella bacteria. However, he had shown no symptoms.
Salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause fever, diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
Of the 106 cases of food poisoning, six tested positive for Salmonella.
Some of the victims bought the cakes as early as 19 November and the latest case was reported on 26 November. Six were hospitalised but all have since been discharged.
This prompted the Health Ministry and AVA to issue an advisory on Monday, asking the public to throw away any unconsumed chocolate cakes bought from PrimaDeli.
Prima Food said 50 of its food handlers went for health screening last week to make sure they are medically fit and not carriers of any bacteria-borne conditions.
PrimaDeli has also recalled and discarded 400 chocolate cakes and is cooperating with the Health Ministry and AVA in their investigations.
However, with the disinfection and recall, PrimaDeli cakes are now in short supply. One franchisee said customers were quick to adapt. Many switched to vanilla sponge cakes and only a couple of customers have cancelled their orders.
For Jeffrey Voon, whose family of six suffered food poisoning after eating his mother's birthday cake bought from PrimaDeli, he wants an explanation and compensation for what they went through.
PrimaDeli has set up a hotline - 62777171 - to address the public's concerns. - CNA/ir
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