Food blogs: treats or threats?
NEA: Don't buy food from these unlicensed sources as their level of hygiene is questionable.
Serene Luo & Esther Au Yong
Wed, Jan 09, 2008
my paper
DO NOT buy food from online food blogs. The convenience of buying online isn't worth it when it comes to personal safety.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) says the levels of hygiene maintained by blog sellers are "questionable".
Most of these popular blogs - many of them peddling dessert items like chocolates, cupcakes and other pastries that may contain uncooked butter cream - do not have the required NEA licence to prepare and sell food.
Last year, the NEA warned two such blog owners and made them remove all mention of their wares from their blogs.
Businesses that want to sell food must satisfy several criteria, such as typhoid inoculation for all food handlers, and have premises with the facilities for food preparation.
It is also illegal to sell home-cooked food to the public.
A spokesman said: "NEA takes a serious view of such unlicenced food sales as the conditions under which the food is prepared are questionable, and NEA will not hesitate to take enforcement actions against such individuals."
What's more important is whether the product is safe, said veteran food writer Sylvia Tan.
"PrimaDeli was a licensed food handler, and even then, people got sick," she said.
Recently, over 100 people came down with food poisoning after eating chocolate cakes from PrimaDeli bakery outlets.
Ms Tan advised my paper readers to be careful of where they purchase their goodies.
"Home sales have been going on for the longest time. Everyone knows someone who sells cookies or tarts. Personal recommendations are very important," she said.