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THE production line at Prima Deli is chugging along rapidly on Monday as they try to stock up all their 39 outlets for their reopening on Tuesday.
'We will start by producing the full range of buns and pastries and 20 per cent of the cakes,' said Ms Pansy Wong, deputy general manager of Prima Food.
Only 20 per cent of the cream cakes will be produced for the moment as the company is still getting used to the new, more stringent hygiene measures it has adopted.
Production numbers will be stepped up once PrimaDeli settles into the new routine, she said.
The homegrown bakery is resuming production after getting the all-clear from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) over the weekend.
This comes almost a month after the factory was closed on Dec 5 after PrimaDeli cakes - which were popular among buyers here - were fingered in Singapore's largest salmonella-poisoning scare in recent memory.
Between late November and early December, 204 people fell ill with food poisoning after eating PrimaDeli cakes. Some 15 people were hospitalised, among them was a 11 month-old toddler who was fed some of the cake during a family birthday bash.
Investigations conducted by the AVA pinpointed salmonella-contaminated ingredients - such as hazelnut paste and chocolate cream - as the culprits of the outbreak.
Through its checks, the Health Ministry also found that 14 food handlers from the factory and outlets tested positive for the bacteria.
Since then, the factory has undergone extensive and intensive cleaning and disinfection. AVA officers have also been keeping an eagle eye on the outfit- collecting some 75 swab samples for microbiological testing.
PrimaDeli is also trying to take greater precautions to prevent a recurrence. Besides sending samples from their ingredients for more extensive and frequent testing, it is rehauling the way it tracks its cakes.
From the batches of ingredients used, right up to where the cake was delivered to and sold, all this will be captured in the new system.
Its staff also have to go for regular salmonella tests.
Now, workers also have to record their sick days on a new log card system - so that the company can see at a glance who's been sick and who should go for check ups.
Prima food handlers from the factory and retail stores have also gone for a refresher course on food and personal hygiene training.
Read the full report in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.
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