Indian Rojak, what used to be something my dad and I love in the past could actually take away 2 innocent lives.... the danger of food poisoning - scary.The Health Ministry laboratory tests has confirmed that the cases were caused by a cross—contamination of rojak and raw seafood ingredients harbouring the Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria cause watery diarrhoea and abdominal cramps, usually with nausea, vomiting, fever and headache. The symptoms typically last between one day and a week.
There were a total of 154 cases, of which 48 were hospitalised and 2 died. The MOH said death associated with the bacteria is rare, and it is awaiting the coroner’s report on the two deaths.
3 of the victims whose name were mentioned includes:
Madam Rosiah Samat who had lost her 2 month foetus after consuming the rojak.Aminah Samijo, 57 year old canteen assistant, died at 6.50am on 6 April.
Norani Kassim, 59, died around 10am on 8 April.
No food remnants were available for microbiological testing because the "Rojak Geylang Serai" stall had been cleared out by the operators and the rojak food items and gravy discarded the moment they received complaints from customers.
Though nothing could be tested on the gravy or the rojak food items, the authorities believe that it could be a repetition of a case in 1983, which involved 34 cases. Back then, it was the abundant drippings from raw cuttlefish that had contaminated the rojak gravy.
The stall owner of "Rojak Geylang Serai" in Geylang Serai Temporary Market was prosecuted by the authorities for the worst mass food poisoning outbreak in Singapore since 2007. That year, over 150 people contracted salmonellosis after eating Prima Deli cakes.The Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA) said that the stall owner’s licence will be suspended once the court hearings are over.
*sigh* Seriously, I wonder if the owner knows that the raw cuttlefish's drippings could have such deadly consequences, he might not..... But still, when lives are lost after eating his food, who else could take the blame? *sigh*
*Image courtesy of Yahoo
3 comments:
Same here, I love to eat indian rojak very much. Very sad case ...
I told hubby that I dare not ta-bao any food from my work area for the time being :P
Man, I'm glad I eat at home! I remember many countless questionable stalls in Taiwan though, but man, was it delicious!
You know I was THHIIISSS close to getting a bottle of oyster sauce and defy my entire bringing up no oyster sauce experience....then I read then....
Sometimes all sea products you really wonder....have to make sure it is from a good source.
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