Catering company Gourmetz charged over River Valley Primary gastroenteritis incident

A catering company named Gourmetz faces multiple charges related to a gastroenteritis outbreak affecting 60 pupils at River Valley Primary School (RVPS). The incident occurred after the students consumed meals prepared by the company on January 14. According to court documents filed on July 29, Gourmetz is being charged with six food safety violations under the Sale of Food Act. The allegations against Gourmetz include improper storage practices. On January 16, the company was reportedly found storing sauce in a contaminated blue thermal container marked with visible stains on its exterior. Additionally, raw marinated chicken was allegedly placed on soiled trolleys within the meat chiller room. These conditions raised concerns about potential contamination risks. Further issues included failure to maintain proper cleanliness standards throughout its premises. Meals produced on January 16, including steam chicken rice sets and garlic fried rice sets, were found to contain Bacillus cereus, a bacteria known to cause gastrointestinal illness, at levels surpassing acceptable limits. This discovery intensified scrutiny regarding the company's adherence to food safety protocols. Another charge involves misleading labeling practices. On January 28, Gourmetz allegedly labeled bento boxes with incorrect preparation times, indicating they were ready by 8:30 am when, in reality, they had been prepared and packaged earlier at 6:48 am. This discrepancy could potentially mislead consumers about the freshness and readiness of the meals. The Ministry of Education (MOE) confirmed awareness of ongoing legal proceedings concerning Gourmetz and stated that it has increased its monitoring efforts to ensure compliance with food safety regulations. While MOE emphasized its commitment to student welfare, it did not clarify whether Gourmetz continues to supply meals to other schools despite these charges. The initial incident led to several students experiencing symptoms consistent with gastroenteritis shortly after their lunch break on January 14. Most affected students returned to classes by January 16, although four required additional recovery time at home. No hospitalizations were reported during this period. Following the incident, investigations were conducted collaboratively by MOE, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), and the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) to identify the root causes behind the outbreak. Thirteen schools adopted a centralized kitchen meal model in January 2026, managed by a single operator, including Gourmetz. Besides RVPS, Gourmetz provides meals to several other institutions such as CHIJ (Kellock), Radin Mas Primary, Blangah Rise Primary, and Outram Secondary’s York Hill campus. Notifications regarding changes in meal arrangements were circulated among parent groups at some of these schools on July 29. River Valley Primary communicated updates to its community, informing parents that MOE has enhanced oversight measures targeting Gourmetz and reinforcing food safety mandates. The school also mentioned that Gourmetz relocated its kitchen operations to a larger facility operated by the Neo Group starting June 15, aiming to improve operational efficiency alongside maintaining high hygiene standards. Efforts continue to monitor Gourmetz's compliance with food safety guidelines strictly enforced by SFA. Both MOE and the school remain vigilant in collaborating with the catering provider to uphold necessary health and safety benchmarks.