SINGAPORE: On Monday evening (Jan 20), a customer posted on an online complaint forum, claiming that he noticed pineapple tarts placed on a tray whose outer coating was peeling off.
In his post, Facebook user Kelvin Ng shared photos of pineapple tarts on display in a food and beverage establishment located in a mall in Johor. “This afternoon, I went to Sutra Mall in Johor to do CNY shopping,” he shared. “I saw a stall with a long queue and decided to check it out. They were selling pineapple tarts, freshly made and baked on the spot.”
However, he pointed out something he noticed upon looking closer. “While watching, I noticed that the originally yellow trays had mostly turned silver-grey, with only a few small spots and edges still yellow. I couldn’t help but worry about where the peeling coating might have gone.”
A handful of people responded to the post, sharing their thoughts on the tray’s condition. While some didn’t find it a big deal, others found it more concerning.
“I think it’s okay,” said one. “Probably the paint comes off when they wash and scrap after baking. But when they’re about to bake, they’ll spray it with baking or apply oil to prevent it from sticking before placing the baked goods.”
Another said, “Seriously, many of our local food sellers in the food courts, hawker centres, coffee shops, and restaurants have rice cookers with peeled-off coatings.”
“This is like the many hawkers and smaller restaurants or cafés I’ve seen in Singapore,” wrote a third. “They have many pots and pans with the non-stick coating peeling off so you can see the metal underneath.”
Still, one person commented, “There’s a reason why their pineapple tarts are the same shade of yellow.”