Raw pork seen lying on floor at Bedok market, stall owner says it fell overnight
A pork stall in Bedok has drawn online concern after two large pieces of raw meat were seen lying on the floor.
A member of the public passing by the stall at Block 216 Bedok Market and Food Centre spotted the meat and took photos.
The photos were later posted online, with the poster questioning whether the pork had been left there to thaw.
From the pictures, the stall appeared to be closed, and no employees were present at the time.
The post sparked discussion online, with some netizens questioning the hygiene standards of the stall and calling for the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to get involved.
Stall owner explains pork had fallen onto the floor
When Shin Min Daily News visited the stall, its 64-year-old owner, Mr Fang (transliterated), acknowledged that the pork had ended up on the floor and admitted there had been an oversight.
Mr Fang explained that the pork had not been deliberately placed on the floor.
He said the stall usually stores its meat in a freezer at the back and that an employee had placed the pork on top of the freezer that night.
He did not know how the meat later fell onto the floor.
“When I saw it the next morning, I quickly rinsed it clean with water. It really wasn’t intentional,” he said.
He said it was originally a small matter, but someone took a picture and complained about it online.
“These past few days, when customers have asked about it, I can only helplessly explain it to them one by one.”
Adding that he would accept any fine imposed on him by the authorities, he said he would be more careful in future to prevent a similar incident.
Some customers say washing it is enough
When reporters visited the market, several customers were still seen buying from the stall.
One 81-year-old customer, Mdm Chen (transliterated), said food is hard to come by and should not be wasted simply because it had fallen onto the floor.
“As long as it is washed clean, I think it is acceptable,” she said.
Another customer, 80, said she would also accept the meat if the floor was not too dirty, and it had been thoroughly washed.
“It will still be cooked when we bring it home anyway, so I don’t really mind,” she said.
However, another customer, 65, disagreed, saying the floor would inevitably contain bacteria that might be difficult to remove completely even after rinsing.
“It would be better to cut away the part that touched the floor so everyone can feel more at ease eating it.”
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