More than 40 individuals from ByteDance’s Singapore office were hospitalized following a suspected food poisoning outbreak. The incident occurred around 3:15 PM on July 30, at the company’s canteen located on the 26th floor of One Raffles Quay, Raffles Place.
According to Lianhe Zaobao, employees of the Chinese tech company began exhibiting symptoms of food poisoning after consuming meals provided by licensed external catering services. ByteDance has not prepared or cooked the food on its premises.
In a statement to the media, a ByteDance spokesperson emphasized the severity with which the company regards employee health and safety, mentioning that immediate action was taken to assist affected staff and coordinate with emergency services.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) are also looking into the incident, noting that the number of individuals who reported gastroenteritis symptoms has risen to 60, with 57 already receiving hospital care as of the evening of July 30. Both agencies stressed the importance of joint responsibility in food safety and warned that enforcement actions are on the table for food operators found in violation of safety standards.
Response to the incident included the deployment of 17 ambulances by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), which also established a first aid point onsite to manage the sudden influx of cases involving symptoms like abdominal pain and vomiting. By later that evening, SCDF confirmed that all its personnel and vehicles had returned to base.
The recent event comes barely a week after another major gastroenteritis outbreak involving 165 individuals at the Singapore Civil Defence Force Civil Defence Academy on July 23 and 24, although in that instance hospitalizations were avoided.
Both SFA and MOH are currently investigating the cases. cookhouse and dormitories have all been “thoroughly cleaned and disinfected” following the incident. The cookhouse remains closed with alternative meal arrangements having been made.
