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A Popeyes customer, 31-year-old Teng, was shocked to find what appeared to be mould on her fish burger bun at the fast food chain’s Orchard Xchange outlet on November 18. She had only noticed the affected part after finishing most of her meal.
Teng told Mothership that she had stopped by the outlet on her way from Orchard MRT to work around 10:20 a.m. She ordered a Poppy Fish Burger, a limited-time item, along with a hash brown, paying S$7.40.
“When I was down to the last bite, I saw something strange on the bun. I looked more closely and realised it was mould,” she said. Shocked, Teng stopped eating and threw away the rest of the burger.
She added, “I wondered if I had eaten any part of it without noticing, and was worried I might get food poisoning. It was disappointing and concerning, especially at a major food chain.”
Complaint and Inspection
Following the incident, Teng lodged a formal complaint with Popeyes and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). She later received an email from an SFA officer, stating that an inspection had been conducted at the outlet.
“The management was sternly warned to step up their checking procedures for their food preparation processes and to ensure that all food served must be wholesome and safe for consumption. We will continue to monitor them for compliance,” the officer wrote.
Teng said she shared her experience to raise awareness about food safety. “I hope the management investigates this seriously and takes steps to ensure fresher products are served to customers,” she said.
Popeyes Response
A Popeyes Singapore spokesperson apologised for the incident, saying, “We take food safety and quality very seriously at Popeyes. We are conducting an investigation with the Orchard Xchange outlet to understand how this occurred and to prevent such incidents in the future.”
The spokesperson added, “Our team is reviewing internal procedures, including food handling, storage, and quality checks, to ensure that all products served meet our strict standards. We are also reinforcing these standards with all staff at the outlet. We regret the inconvenience caused and appreciate the customer’s feedback, which helps us improve our service and quality control.”
Food Safety Reminders
SFA emphasised that food safety is a shared responsibility. “While SFA enforces regulatory measures, food operators must adhere to good food hygiene and preparation practices,” the agency said. It urged operators to maintain clean and well-kept premises and stated it would take enforcement action if feedback revealed poor food safety practices.
Members of the public with concerns can report food safety issues to SFA via their online feedback form: www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback.
