Caterer Gourmetz charged over River Valley gastroenteritis incident that left 60 students ill

SINGAPORE: Catering company Gourmetz was charged in court on Wednesday (Jul 29) over food safety offences linked to the River Valley Primary School gastroenteritis incident in January, which left 60 students ill.Authorities said in a statement on Jan 16 that most of the affected students had returned to school, except for four who recovered at home. No one was hospitalised.River Valley Primary School is one of 13 schools under the new central kitchen meal model, with Gourmetz operating its school canteen.The company faces six charges over alleged offences committed on Jan 16 and Jan 28 in relation to food storage, false labelling, bacterial contamination and maintenance of a licensed food establishment. According to court documents, the company had allegedly stored sauce in a dirty blue thermal tub in its processed vegetable chiller room on Jan 16.The company is also accused of storing marinated chicken on a dirty trolley that had accumulated food stains in the meat chiller room.The company is further accused of failing to ensure its licensed food establishment was properly maintained and kept clean. The rubber gasket of the meat chiller room door was purportedly damaged and the ceiling of the processed vegetable chiller room was allegedly dirty with black spots.Ready-to-eat steamed chicken rice and garlic fried rice sets produced by Gourmetz were allegedly found to contain Bacillus cereus, a type of bacteria that causes food poisoning at levels exceeding permissible limits.The company is also accused of using false labels on bento sets on Jan 28. The meals were labelled "ready by 8.30am" even though they had allegedly been packed and ready at about 6.48am.It also allegedly stored raw marinated chicken on dirty plastic pallets and kept frozen pastries uncovered in a raw material freezer.CNA has asked the Ministry of Education if Gourmetz is still operating the canteen at River Valley Primary School.The case will be heard in court again on Aug 19. If convicted, the company could be fined.