A hawker stall in Queenstown has drawn criticism after a customer claimed the stall owner was seen handling raw ducks on the ground while preparing ingredients. The incident has sparked concerns about food hygiene and safety practices at the popular hawker centre.
A regular customer, identified only as Mr Tan, said the discovery left him shocked and uneasy about returning to the stall in the future. The stall owner has since acknowledged the incident and said she will avoid placing raw poultry on the floor moving forward.
Customer Says He Saw Raw Ducks Being Prepared On The Ground
According to Shin Min Daily News, Mr Tan, a 43-year-old engineer, said he had been a frequent patron of the braised duck stall located at Block 31 Commonwealth Crescent Market and Food Centre in Queenstown. The stall is commonly known among regulars for its traditional braised duck dishes.
However, his view of the stall reportedly changed after an incident he witnessed early one morning last month. According to him, he was passing by the area at around 6am while buying breakfast from another stall when he noticed someone squatting on the ground.
Upon taking a closer look, he realised the person was handling several raw ducks placed directly on the floor. The sight reportedly shocked him.
“I was quite surprised when I saw it. Thinking about the food I had eaten there before suddenly made me feel uncomfortable,” he said, adding that the experience left him feeling “disgusted”.
Mr Tan also claimed that the situation was not a one-off occurrence. After the initial sighting, he said he paid closer attention when passing the stall and allegedly noticed the same preparation method on several occasions before the stall opened for business.
Stall Owner Admits Ducks Were Placed On Floor
When approached for comment, the stall owner, 53-year-old Jiang Yueyin, confirmed she was the person seen in the video that circulated among customers.
She admitted that the raw ducks had been placed on the ground during preparation. However, she explained that this was only part of a preliminary step in the process.
According to her, the early preparation involved trimming off excess fat or removing parts that would not be used before the ducks were washed thoroughly and later cooked.
She added that the ducks would always be cleaned before being prepared for cooking, stressing that the initial handling was not the final stage of food preparation.
Nevertheless, she acknowledged that the practice may not appear hygienic to customers and said she would be more careful in the future.
Public Reaction Mixed But Many Express Discomfort
When members of the public were asked about the situation, many said they found the practice difficult to accept.
Several people pointed out that placing raw meat directly on the floor raises obvious hygiene concerns, particularly in a public food preparation environment such as a hawker centre.
Some said the incident would make them reconsider dining at the stall, while others felt stricter attention to food handling standards is important to maintain public confidence in hawker food.
Food safety has long been a key issue in Singapore’s hawker culture, where cleanliness standards are generally closely monitored. Incidents involving food preparation practices can quickly attract public scrutiny, especially when images or videos circulate online.
For now, the stall owner has said she will adjust her preparation methods and ensure that raw ingredients are handled more appropriately to avoid similar complaints in the future.
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