Food Hygiens Food Hygiene Standards in Singapore NEA regulates the food retail industry in Singapore to ensure that

food sold at retail outlets is prepared hygienically and thus safe for consumption. This is important as Singapore has a reputation as a food paradise--from local hawker fare to international haute cuisine, there is no shortage of options to satisfy anyone's taste buds. NEA licenses all food retail businesses, such as restaurants, cafes, snack bars, supermarkets, mobile food wagons and food caterers. Application forms for food retail businesses can be downloaded from our website. Additionally, NEA's Code of Practice on Environmental Health sets down guidelines addressing environmental health concerns in the design of food establishments Food Handlers Food handlers, who are involved in the preparation and handling of food, such as chefs, cooks, kitchen helpers etc. need to be registered with NEA. Food Hygiene Officers A Food Hygiene Officer (FHO), helps to oversee and maintain high standards of hygiene and sanitation. Licensees of certain categories of food establishments are required to engage a FHO to regulate food hygiene in their premises. Grading of Licensed Eating Establishments and Food Stalls The Grading System for Eating Establishments and Food Stalls is a structured system of appraisal for food outlets. It was introduced to motivate licensees to improve and maintain good personal and food hygiene, and housekeeping of their premises. Retail food establishments are given a grade by NEA based on the overall hygiene, cleanliness and housekeeping standards of the premises. All food retail outlets are advised to display the certificate indicating their grade, enabling the public to make a more informed choice when patronizing food outlets. Eating establishments and food stalls are assessed by NEA and given the following grades:

A - a score of 85% or higher B - a score of 70% to 84% C - a score of 50% to 69% D - a score of 40% to 49%

NEA produced a Food Handler's Handbook to equip food handlers and licensees with basic knowledge of good hygiene practices. The handbook is available in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. NEA also developed a set of food hygiene guidelines and educational materials to educate

licensees and food handlers on good hygiene practices that they can adopt during food handling at their premises. Points Demerit System The point demerit system (PDS) is a systematic and fair approach in dealing with the suspension or revocation of licences. Under the PDS, demerit points are given for each public health offence that is convicted in court or compounded. Offences are categorised as

Minor offences - 2 demerit points Major offences - 4 demerit points Serious offences - 6 demerit points

If a licensee accumulates 12 demerit points or more within 12 months, his licence will either be suspended for 2 weeks or 4 weeks, or be revoked, depending on past suspension records. More details of PDS can be found in the following link: Points Demerit System - A Guide for Food Establishments In 30 November 2010, the PDS was also introduced to main operators of coffeeshops, food courts and canteens. With effect from 1 March 2013, the PDS for main operators of coffeeshops, food courts and canteens will be revised. Under the revised PDS, the threshold for the suspension of licence is adjusted to 12 points instead of 24 points. If the main operator of a coffeeshop, food court or canteen accumulates 12 demerit points or more within 12 months, his licence will be suspended for up to 3 days. When the suspension takes place, all the individual stalls within the food establishment will also have to close. More details of PDS for main operators of coffeeshops, food courts and canteens can be found here. HDB/URA's Home Based Small Scale Business Scheme Nonetheless, residents preparing food under the scheme can refer to these guidelines on good hygiene tips to adopt.The Home Based Small Scale Business Scheme by HDB and URA allows residents to carry out activities in their HDB and private residential premises to supplement their income. Under this scheme, residents can prepare small quantities of food for sale to their friends and relatives without turning their residences into a commercial outlet. A licence is not required from NEA. - See more at: http://app2.nea.gov.sg/public-health/food-hygiene#sthash.QYg03nRy.dpuf

Information for Food Handlers A food handler refers to any person who handles and prepares food and beverage in NEAlicensed food establishments. Chefs, sous chefs, cooks, kitchen assistants and food stall assistants are considered to be food handlers as they are primarily involved in food preparation. Managers, captains, waiters, cashiers, dishwashers, cleaners and other service staff are generally not considered as food handlers as they are not directly involved in food preparation. However, they will be considered as food handlers if they are also involved in the handling and preparation of food and beverage. This may take the form of washing and cutting of raw fruits, vegetable and meat, processing of ready to eat food (in raw or cooked form), preparation of sauces, spices and condiments, mixing of beverage drinks, etc. Regulatory Requirements On Food Handlers - Attend and pass WDA Food Hygiene Course - Attend and pass Refresher Food Hygiene Course every 3 years. (Please check with your licensing officer if the requirement to attend Refresher Food Hygiene course has started to apply to your licence category) *NOTE: In consultation with the Ministry of Health (MOH), the National Environment Agency (NEA) no longer requires food handlers to undergo mandatory typhoid vaccination and tuberculosis screening with effect from 27th September 2010 i.e. food handlers are henceforth not required to undergo typhoid vaccination or be screened for tuberculosis. For enquires regarding regulatory requirements on food handlers, please email to Contact_NEA@nea.gov.sg or contact our NEA Call Centre Hotline: 1800-CALL NEA (18002255 632). Registration of Food Handlers You may register and update NEA on your food handlers by filling in this form, attaching the relevant documents and submitting them to the relevant Regional Office* in charge of your eating establishment. *To find out which Regional Office is in charge of your eating establishment, you may call 18002255 632 (1800-CALL NEA) and provide our NEA Call Centre with the address of your eating establishment. The Call Centre will then advise you accordingly. WDA Basic Food Hygiene Course - WSQ Follow Food & Beverage Safety and Hygiene Policies and Procedures

The Food & Beverage Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) system was launched on 12 July 2006 by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) as the national qualifications system for the F&B industry. NEA has aligned the teaching and assessment of the previous Basic Food Hygiene Course (BFHC) to the F&B WSQ standards with effect from 1 June 2007 in line with the government's effort to upgrade the skills of workers. The alignment to the WSQ standards also serves to improve and standardise the teaching and assessment of the BFHC. To represent the collaborative effort of both organizations, the BFHC was renamed as WSQ Follow Food & Beverage Safety and Hygiene Policies and Procedures. The WSQ course consists of 7 hours of course work and 1.5 hours of assessment. Upon successful completion of the course and assessment, a Statement of Attainment (SOA) will be awarded to the participants, certifying that they have met NEA's regulatory requirement for food handlers. NEA limits registration to food handlers trained and assessed by WDA accredited training providers and assessment centres under the F&B WSQ system as of 1 June 2007. Any person who wishes to be registered as a food handler can attend the course provided by any of the WDA accredited training providers. The list of WDA-accredited training providers can be downloaded here. Information for Companies Interested to Offer the WDA Food Hygiene Course Training providers who wish to conduct the teaching and assessment of the Basic Food Hygiene Course (BFHC) under the F&B WSQ system are required to be accredited with WDA. Please refer to WDA's website for more information. You may also contact the following WDA officer if you need clarification: 1) Ms Soh Yong Chuan (Quality Assurance, WDA) DID: 6512 6564 Email: soh_yong_chuan@wda.gov.sg Refresher Food Hygiene Course - Joint ITE-NEA Certificate in Food Hygiene for Food Handlers (Refresher Training) To raise the standards of food hygiene, NEA introduced compulsory refresher training for all food handlers since October 2010. Food handlers are now required to undergo the Refresher Food Hygiene Course once every 3 years to sustain awareness on good food hygiene practices. With this course, food handlers will be kept up-to-date on new policies and best practices, and be reminded of what they need to do to avoid committing food hygiene infringements. This requirement has been implemented for the following premises, and will progressively include the other categories of licensed premises:

Caterers Restaurants (permitted to cater) School Canteen Restaurants Foodstalls

Food handlers working at your food establishments are required to undergo the refresher training if they have passed the Basic Food Hygiene Course 3 years or more ago. You are subsequently required to ensure that all food handlers working in your premises attend the refresher training every 3 years, i.e., before the 3-year anniversary of the Basic food hygiene course pass date and/or the Refresher training course pass date

Membangun Kantin Sehat dan Higienis untuk Anak Indonesia

FIMELLE.COM - Kantin sekolah selama ini menjadi tempat yang paling diburu para murid untuk jajan. Di sana, murid yang tidak dibekali makanan dari rumah bisa membeli bermacam-macam makanan yang disediakan. Tapi, apakah kita pernah berpikir makanan yang dijual itu higienis? Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan (BPOM) dalam laporan hasil pengawasan terhadap Pangan Jajanan Anak Sekolah (PJAS) selama 2006-2010 menunjukkan, sekitar 40-44 persen jajanan anak sekolah belum memenuhi syarat layak. Salah satunya disebabkan oleh tidak higienisnya kantin atau tempat jajan di sekolah. Ketidakhigienisan itu bisa dilihat dari kebersihan peralatan masak dan makan yang dipakai, keamanan dan kebersihan makanan yang diproduksi, kebersihan individu dalam mengolah makanan, keamanan terhadap penyediaan air, pengelolaan air limbah, dan perlindungan makanan dari kontaminasi. "Kantin sekolah harus bersih dan higienis karena berperan penting dalam menyediakan makanan dan minuman yang aman dan sehat untuk ana-anak. Jajanan sehat bukan hanya bergantung pada kandungan jajajan, tapi juga tingkat higienitas kantin. Harus bisa dipastikan makanan yang dikonsumsi juga bebas dari mikroba yang dapat menyebabkan penyakit," jelas Nurrahmiati, pakar kesehatan yang bekerja di Kementerian Kesehatan dalam bincang kesehatan Kantin Higienis Sunlight di Jakarta, Kamis (20/6) Selain itu, ketersediaan jajanan yang bebas dari mikroba, kebersihan peralatan masak dan makan ini sangat penting. Menurut dia, harus dibedakan tempat mencuci peralatan dengan pencucian bahan pangan karena itu bisa menyebabkan munculnya persilangan bakteri yang justru bisa menjadi sumber penyakit bagi anak. Nurrahmiati menambahkan, jajanan yang dibeli dari kantin yang tidak higienis bisa menimbulkan sejumlah penyakit, mulai dari sakit perut, diare, ISPA, disentri, thypus, dan keracunan.

Untuk mendukung kantin sehat, seiring dengan Program Aksi Nasional Gerakan menuju Jajanan Anak Sekolah yang Aman, Bermutu, dan Bergizi, Sunlight mengkampanyekan "Kantin Higienis". "Ini adalah wujud edukasi kepada berbagai pihak mengenai langkah-langkah yang sebaiknya dilakukan untuk menciptakan kantin sekolah yang sehat, termasuk bagaimana menjaga kehigienisan dan kualitas makanan bagi anak sekolah," jelas Senior Brand Manager Sunlight Risyantie Wulansari. Kampanye yang dimulai sejak Mei ini sudah dilakukan dengan menggelar berbagai acara, mulai dari seminar, roadshow ke tujuh kota besar di Indonesia, hingga kompetisi kantin sehat. "Butuh dukungan dari semua pihak, mulai dari sekolah, orang tua, masyaraka, dan pemangku kepentingan lainnya dalam mewujudkan lingkungan kanti yang berkualitas dan penyediaan pangan yang aman. Kampanye ini bagus dan sejalan dengan visi pemerintah," imbuh Roy Sparingga, deputi bidang pengawasan keamanan pangan dan bahan berbahaya BPOM. (Dian)

Kesimpulan : Food hygine di Indonesia memang masih berada di posisi bawah jika dibandingkan dengan singapura misalnya. Hanya sedikit tempat yang menyediakan makanan yang benar-benar higienis dari segi tempat, bahan makanan ataupun peralatan makan nya. Sedangkan di singapura, ada peraturan dan syarat khusus ketika membuka tempat makan atau menjual makanan, yang pastinya kebersihan makanan diutamakan bahkan dibuat kursus untuk standarisasi makanan yang bersih.