The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) is working with importers to recall implicated frozen raw pork products from the Netherlands, after a salmonella outbreak.

The move comes after the European Commission’s Rapid alert System for Food and Feed issued an alert of a foodborne outbreak of the salmonella goldcoast bacteria, said AVA on Friday (Dec 14). This outbreak is suspected to be linked to the consumption of pork products from one slaughterhouse in the Netherlands.

The authority confirmed that about 1,200 tonnes of frozen pork from the affected slaughterhouse was imported into Singapore.

The recall is ongoing, it added.

NTUC FairPrice, Singapores largest supermarket chain, said on Saturday that although it carries frozen pork from the Netherlands, it has not been told to recall its pork products. 

"We understand the affected batches of product come from a specific slaughterhouse," a spokesperson for the supermarket said in response to queries from Channel NewsAsia. 

"We are in contact with the local food safety authorities and they have not directed us to recall any of our pork products." 

Sheng Siong said it does not carry frozen pork from the Netherlands.

ConSUMER WARNING

Raw meat, including pork, is known to potentially carry bacteria, which may include salmonella, said AVA. Salmonella in turn can cause salmonellosis, a bacterial infection.

This infection can be avoided by cooking food thoroughly and preventing cross-contamination, said AVA, adding that consumers should always cook raw meat thoroughly.

In addition, the authority advised consumers to observe the following food hygiene practices:

1.Wash hands with soap and water before handling ready-to-eat food, before eating and after going to the toilet;
2.Thoroughly cook raw food from animal sources (for example, beef, pork, poultry);
3.Keep raw meat separate from vegetables, fruits, cooked and ready-to-eat food;
4.Avoid raw (unpasteurised) milk or foods made from raw milk;
5.Wash hands and kitchen utensils such as knives and cutting boards after handling raw food;
6.Use separate sets of knives and cutting board for raw and cooked food.