SINGAPORE — Tangs Market food court on Orchard Road will be closed on Thursday (Nov 30) for deep cleaning after the authorities found a rat infestation in the ceiling areas and hygiene lapses at food stalls.

In a statement on Wednesday, Tangs said that the food court had undergone cleaning by its cleaning and pest control vendors on Tuesday.

More cleaning was scheduled for both Wednesday night and Thursday "in our efforts to exceed hygiene and sanitisation standards", it added.

For that reason, the food court, which is located at the basement level of Tangs department store, would be closed on Thursday.

Tangs also said that the sighting of a rat on a food tray last Saturday was "regrettable and unacceptable" and that it takes all public health and hygiene matters "very seriously".

Its pest control vendor had investigated the matter that same night. 

A video showing the rat lying on the food tray was posted on a Facebook page called Singapore Laughs on Monday and circulated online.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, the National Environmental Agency (NEA) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said that officers from both agencies had inspected the food court.

"NEA will be taking enforcement action against the building management for rat infestation at the ceiling areas. SFA will also be taking enforcement action against five food shops found with hygiene lapses," they added.

In its statement on Wednesday, Tangs said that it would be taking various measures including a doubling in the frequency of pest control checks at the food court.

The company added that it had been assisting those customers affected by the incident and will continue engaging the authorities to uphold standards of hygiene and pest control management.