Cockroach found in Pepper Lunch food delivery order from Sengkang
Order was made from Compass One outlet, Facebook user's daughter who discovered the bug was "traumatised and nauseous"
UPDATE: Pepper Lunch has given an update on the pest-management checks they had carried out on its outlets.
SINGAPORE - A bug was allegedly found in a Pepper Lunch meal ordered online through Grab last Saturday (5 August).
According to a post on Complaint Singapore by Facebook user Steven Lee, his daughter had ordered online a Set A Chicken Pepper Rice Bowl from the restaurant chain's outlet at Compass One in Sengkang.
After receiving her meal, she noticed what seemed to be a "cooked cockroach" in the bowl after a few bites, and was "nauseous" and "traumatised" after the incident.
Photos from the post show closeup shots of the insect on the rice, and the extracted bug in a plastic container.
Pest management deployed and customer refunded
A Pepper Lunch spokesperson told Yahoo Southeast Asia on Tuesday (8 August) that its operations team was made aware of the incident last Saturday night.
The team activated a pest-management check at 9am on Sunday, with a second check arranged at 4pm on the same day. Professional partners reported "no sign of pest activity".
The restaurant chain also conducted a review of past pest-management reports of all outlets on Monday. All controls were in place, with no pest activity reported and good cleanliness maintained.
Pepper Lunch added that regular checks are carried out at all of its outlets in Singapore. Based on records over the past three months, good housekeeping was kept and no pest activity was reported at its Compass One outlet. All staff have been reminded of stringent protocols on cleanliness, food safety and quality.
Pepper Lunch has contacted the customer, apologised and shared its investigations and rectification actions with him. His order has also been refunded via Grab's delivery platform.
Its management team sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused, and is working with its pest management vendor to take extra precautions to prevent future occurrences.
Singapore Food Agency looking into matter
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has said that it takes a serious view towards food safety, and will investigate all feedback alleging poor food-safety practices.
The agency is looking into the matter, and will not hesitate to take enforcement action if sufficient evidence has been obtained in its investigations.
Members of the public who come across any potentially errant food operator should report to SFA via the online feedback form.
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