7-Eleven customer cries foul over ‘pink and undercooked’ chicken, SFA finds no food safety lapses
A customer alleged that the chicken she purchased from a 7-Eleven store in Bugis was undercooked and remains concerned even though no lapses were found during a Singapore Food Agency (SFA) inspection.
Stomper Val said she purchased spicy fried chicken from the 7-Eleven outlet at Lubritrade Building along North Bridge Road on Aug 28 at 12.21pm.
“After eating part of the chicken, I noticed that several pieces appeared pink, glossy and partially translucent in the centre, and looked significantly undercooked,” she recounted.
“I immediately stopped eating and approached the staff.”
Val said the staff took away the chicken and gave her a replacement — which also appeared undercooked “in the same way”.
“This concerned me even more because the issue was not limited to just one piece or one serving,” she explained.
The Stomper reported the matter to SFA and 7-Eleven on the day of the incident and took photos and a video of the replacement chicken.
She said: “I requested that the matter be investigated, but as of Aug 31, it was still not substantively resolved, and I have not received a clear explanation as to how two separate servings could both appear undercooked or what steps have been taken to ensure other customers are not affected.”
Val clarified that the issue is not about getting a refund “for a $3 item” and expressed food safety concerns.
“I had already consumed part of the first serving before realising its condition, and undercooked poultry can potentially pose a food safety risk,” she added.
“I am also concerned that another customer, especially a child or elderly person, could purchase food from the same batch without noticing.
“There are several private education and tuition centres in the surrounding area, and from my own observations, I regularly see many school-going children purchasing hot food from this particular 7-Eleven during lunch and snack periods.”
By sharing the incident with Stomp, Val hopes it can receive “proper attention” and prompt a review of food preparation procedures.
No food safety lapses detected by SFA
In response to a Stomp query, SFA said on Sept 9 that it had inspected the food establishment and did not detect any food safety lapses.
“Nonetheless, the food operator was reminded to adhere to good food safety practices,” it added.
SFA said food safety is a joint responsibility. While the agency puts in place and enforces the regulatory measures, food operators must play their part by adhering to good food hygiene and preparation practices.
Members of the public who have concerns about food safety practices by food operators should report to SFA via its online feedback form.
SFA added that it takes a serious view of food safety and will investigate all feedback alleging poor food safety practices.
As part of the enquiry and gathering of evidence, SFA may engage the feedback provider for more details and will not hesitate to take enforcement action if sufficient evidence has been obtained.
Customer still seeking answers
The Stomper confirmed that she had heard from SFA, but said: “I am still seeking clarification from 7-Eleven regarding what actually happened to the batch served to me.
“7-Eleven has told me that its equipment, storage temperatures and oven settings were within its required standards, and that a newly prepared sample tested after the incident reached the required temperature.”
Val said this does not explain her concerns or experience, and feels that the incident “has still not been properly resolved”.
She told Stomp on Sept 16: “I have repeatedly asked whether CCTV footage from around the time of my purchase was reviewed, and whether there are records showing the actual cooking time, cooking cycle, and core temperature of the specific batch served to me. These questions have not been clearly answered.
“The incident has also left me with a significant fear and aversion towards eating chicken, and I intend to seek medical advice regarding this.”
Pink chicken = undercooked? Not always
According to a Facebook post by SFA in July, pink poultry meat does not necessarily mean that it is undercooked.
“Cooked poultry may remain pink due to chemical reactions that occur during cooking. When oven gases interact with haemoglobin in the meat tissues, it creates a pink colour,” the post explained.
This is especially common in poultry with thinner skins or those with less fat under their skin, which allows more oven gases to reach their flesh.
Stomp has contacted 7-Eleven for more info.
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