SINGAPORE: The Nex outlet of local food chain Qi Ji has been suspended for two weeks by the National Environment Agency (NEA) for selling "unclean food" and failing to register an assistant.

According to the suspension notice, posted on Friday (May 11) on NEA's website, the branch at 23 Serangoon Central, #03-10, in Nex shopping mall, had accumulated 12 demerit points in the past 12 months for the offences.



Qi Ji was also fined S$800. The suspension is from May 11 to May 24.

All food handlers working in the outlet will be required to attend and pass the Basic Food Hygiene Course again before they can resume work as food handlers, NEA said in the notice.

Qi Ji posted on its Facebook page on Friday morning that its Nex outlet was closed and apologised for the inconvenience caused. The store will "resume normal operation" on May 25, it added.



The food chain operates 12 other outlets across Singapore.

In reply to queries from Channel NewsAsia, Qi Ji explained that the company failed to register the assistant because of "an oversight" by its human resource department. It has since reviewed and strengthened its processes, it added.

Qi Ji also said that the company takes food safety "very seriously" and that it sends food samples for microbiology testing every month.

"Unfortunately, the sample tested by NEA in May 2017 detected the presence of a specific bacteria which none of our tests ever uncovered," said Qi Ji's senior manager for certification and compliance Kenneth Low.

"Nevertheless, we have sent all our staff at Nex for re-training and reiterated the importance of adhering to our established hygiene practices."