SINGAPORE: The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has launched an investigation into possible food hygiene lapses at the food court of the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) after a video of a rat surfaced online.
The clip, posted on Reddit on 26 September 2025, shows a rat climbing on a tablet at the cash register of a stall that appeared to be closed.
The footage quickly went viral, drawing widespread concern from netizens.
Online users identified the stall as the economy rice outlet in the Foodgle-operated food court at SIT’s Punggol campus.
Some recalled earlier complaints, including one made in April on Facebook, claiming rats had been seen in the area before.
Foodgle, the operator of the food court, confirmed on 30 September that the rat sighting occurred at the Economy Rice stall outside of operating hours on 25 September.
The company said it was alerted that night and carried out disinfection at 6.30am the following morning, before resuming operations.
Foodgle added that pest control efforts had since been increased, with more traps deployed and internal inspections conducted weekly instead of twice a month.
The operator stressed that no cases of food poisoning had been reported.
According to Foodgle, the food court’s location, surrounded by lush greenery, poses “challenging” environmental conditions that allow wildlife intrusion.
The operator stated that preventive pest control measures were already in place, including daily post-operation checks.
On 26 September, the SFA and the National Environment Agency (NEA) inspected the food court.
Foodgle said that all 13 stalls, including the Economy Rice stall, were found to be in good order during these checks.
In a statement on 29 September, the SFA confirmed that it is investigating the incident.
The agency underscored that food safety is a shared responsibility between regulators and food operators, urging the public to report hygiene concerns through its online feedback channels.
The SFA also reiterated that it takes such matters seriously and will not hesitate to take enforcement action where poor hygiene practices are found.
On 27 August, the National Environment Agency (NEA) published a fact sheet on public cleanliness and hygiene, revealing that in the first half of 2025 it detected an average of 5,400 rat burrows per cycle across Singapore, almost double the 2,800 noted during the same period in 2024.
Health and Legal Implications
According to NEA, rats spread diseases like leptospirosis and hantavirus, potentially leading to severe health issues such as kidney damage and fatal respiratory illnesses.
Premises owners who fail to implement proper refuse management or create conditions conducive to rat infestations may face enforcement action under the Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA) and the Control of Vectors and Pesticides Act (CVPA).
Under the CVPA, first-time offenders may be fined up to S$20,000, sentenced to up to three months’ imprisonment, or both.
For a first offence under the EPHA, the penalty includes a fine of up to S$1,000, with an additional fine of up to S$100 for each day the offence continues after conviction.
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