SINGAPORE – More than 40 food operators have been issued a written warning after their staff were found not wearing a mask or a spit guard while preparing food.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Monday that it took action against 43 operators during a 17-day enforcement operation from March 29 to April 14.

Most of the 451 food establishments inspected in the operation were compliant with mask-wearing requirements, added SFA.

The 43 errant operators were given warnings for their first offence. They will face stiffer penalties if found to have breached the requirements again.

Food operators can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to a year, and have their licences suspended or cancelled if they are convicted of breaching licensing conditions.

It has been mandatory for food handlers to wear masks or other forms of physical barriers since April 2020 to avoid contaminating food through coughing or sneezing.

This applies to eateries including restaurants, pubs, nightclubs, street hawkers, coffee shops and temporary fairs.

During an earlier enforcement operation from Sept 26 to 30, 2022, SFA issued warnings to 20 food stall operators for failing to ensure their staff wore a mask or spit guard while preparing food. It had inspected a total of 349 stalls in 40 coffee shops and foodcourts then.

SFA said members of the public who come across a potential violation should report it via its online feedback form (http://www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback).

“As part of the inquiry and gathering of evidence, SFA may engage the feedback provider for more details,” it added.