21 food retailers allowed to sell raw fish dishes using saltwater fish

SINGAPORE — Twenty-one foodstalls and caterers have been given permission to sell ready-to-eat raw fish dishes using saltwater fish and six more applications are being processed, said Senior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor today (Feb 3)

“These licensees have applied to use raw salmon from certified sources for these (ready-to-eat) raw fish dishes. Another six licensees have submitted their applications, and we are working to let these applicants know the status of their applications by Feb 5,” she said in an update on her Facebook page.

Last December, the authorities imposed a ban on the use of freshwater fish in all ready-to-eat raw fish dishes, after tests by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) showed that freshwater fish have “significantly higher” bacterial contamination than saltwater fish, and are likely to present higher risks of infection.

Following the ban, food stalls in hawker centres, coffeeshops, canteens and food courts, as well as food establishments providing catering services were also required to stop the sale of all ready-to-eat raw fish dishes using saltwater fish until they could comply with the practices required for such dishes.

In her post, Dr Khor also said that the AVA has also been engaging suppliers to ensure that they have sufficient capacity to bring in more saltwater fish to be used for such dishes in the lead up to the Chinese New Year.

For a list of retail food establishments which have been given the NEA’s approval, check the NEA website (https://eservices.nea.gov.sg/TR/) or the myENV mobile application.