Local catering company Team Catering, which provided buffet food to Raffles Institution (RI) students for a graduation event last October, has had its food hygiene grade downgraded to “C”.

In a notice on its website on Monday, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said it adjusted the caterer’s food hygiene grade after investigations into the Oct 19 incident. Its previous grade was “B”.

A total of 179 students fell ill after eating the food prepared at the caterer’s premises at Shimei East Kitchen in Bedok North Street 5.

The Year 6 students suffered gastroenteritis symptoms just days before many of them were due to sit their A-level examinations, an earlier report on the incident said.

Some students said they had diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal pain within hours of eating the food. One student had to be hospitalised.

RI principal Frederick Yeo told The Straits Times then that almost all the students recovered after a few days.

The grade will be reviewed in 12 months, NEA said, adding that it will keep the caterer’s premises under surveillance in the meantime.

According to its website, Team Catering is a halal-certified catering company offering services for weddings, birthdays, housewarming parties and corporate events. It also provides bento boxes and live stations.

NEA said the public may view the revised hygiene grade of the caterer after 12 months on its website.

The agency gives retail food establishments grades between “A” and “D” based on their overall hygiene, cleanliness and the housekeeping standards of the premises. A “C” grade has a score of between 50 per cent and 69 per cent.

The Straits Times has contacted Team Catering for more details.

Ng Huiwen

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