SFA Investigating After Squashed Rat Found in Food Delivery Bag That Even Emits a “Pungent Smell”

Last Updated on 2023-11-29 , 9:45 am

Food Delivery Shock: Rat Found in Birthday Brownie Order Prompts SFA Inquiry

On 8 Nov, in anticipation of a belated birthday celebration, Madam Farahliza’s husband placed an order for Japanese-French fusion brownies from Annabella Patisserie.

This brand, renowned since its inception in 2013, was supposed to contribute to the festivities with its esteemed confections.

Never mind about the birthday surprise, a belated birthday celebration was enough for Madam Farahliza as she opened up the delivered velcro-sealed bag to uncover her belated birthday present.

Little did she know that she was still in for a birthday surprise – just a not so pleasant one.

It was a dead rat.

A full-sized dead rat, squashed and smeared with fresh blood, lay inside.

Dried bloodstains had trickled down the sides of the thermal bag, which was supposed to safeguard the hygiene of the food within.

Horrible Pungent Smell That Filled The Entire House

This horrible discovery was accompanied by a pungent smell that quickly filled the entire house.

In a Facebook post, Madam Farahliza shared her traumatic experience.

Her husband had used her GrabFood account to order the cakes, which were then hung on the gate, as per her usual request.

It was late in the evening, and to better inspect what she had expected to be a delightful gift, she brought the bag into the dining area.

The strong, unpleasant odour of the carcass was pervasive, and her husband remarked that the pungency was detectable even from his room.

Upon opening the bag, the source of the odor was revealed: the lifeless, squashed rat.

Madam Farahliza reported that the sight and smell were so overwhelming that she vomited, and she remains deeply “traumatised” by the ordeal.

She disposed of the entire bag immediately after documenting the incident with photos and videos, and posting them on Facebook.

Disturbing pictures of the rat could be seen in her Facebook post.

Here’s a censored snippet of the post for those who prefer not to click into it:

Responses Received From SFA & Bakery

The incident was promptly reported to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), GrabFood, and Annabella Patisserie via Madam Farahliza’s Facebook post, to alert them of the gruesome discovery.

In an interview with the The Straits Times, the SFA emphasised that food safety is a shared responsibility.

SFA stated that while they implement and enforce regulatory measures, food operators must also maintain good hygiene and preparation practices.

Food safety incidents in the past, such as those involving rat droppings or raw chicken left on floors, have been uncovered during SFA inspections.

But when it comes to food deliveries, SFA’s inspection efforts might be more limited.

Nevertheless, SFA assured that they would not hesitate to take action against food operators found in violation of these standards.

Annabella Patisserie, on their part, responded to Madam Farahliza’s alarming experience with remarkable promptness.

Within 24 hours of the Facebook post, they reached out to her with an apology and issued a full refund. They also initiated an internal investigation to prevent future incidents.

Annabella Patisserie took to Facebook with a detailed 408-word post on 9 Nov, outlining the steps they had taken in response to the incident, including customer outreach, preventive measures, investigations, enhanced quality control, and staff training.

Read the full Facebook post here:

While the exact cause of the incident remains uncertain, public response on social media suggests that many customers continue to place their trust in Annabella Patisserie.

As for GrabFood, there has been no official response reported as of this statement.