When you buy Liang Teh or tea-leaf egg from a Sinseh (Traditional Chinese Medicine) shop next time, make sure the shop is licensed to sell food and drinks hor!
Yesterday (25 January), the National Environment Agency said that all traditional chinese medicine shops that prepare or sell food and drinks within their premises have to be licensed.
If food preparation activities are not done hygienically, it can “pose risks to public health”.
“These onsite food/drinks preparation areas are to comply with the design and infrastructural requirements as stipulated in the Code of Practice for Environmental Health (COPEH) for food retail.”
Food handlers working for these shops also have to attend and pass the Basic Food Hygiene Course.
Existing TC outlets have until 1 March 2019 to apply for the license if they want to continue with onsite food and drinks preparation. NEA said there are currently more than 300 TCM shops that have food preparation areas within their premises.
Outlets that do not have food preparation onsite or have decided not to continue doing so, won’t have to apply for the license.
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