Hospital says ‘cockroach’ found in patient’s meal was actually an anchovy

SINGAPORE: Another diner complaint was reported when a man claimed to suspect that there was a cockroach in his hospital food from Outram Community Hospital (OCH). 

The man reported to STOMP that he underwent surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis at Singapore General Hospital a few days prior to the incident, before he was transferred to the community hospital to continue his recovery for three more weeks, as stated by Shin Min Daily News. 

The man claimed that as he was eating his lunch, he found a black object halfway through his meal and suspected it was a cockroach. After notifying the hospital staff, he stated that they apologised and would then improve their food hygiene. 

In response to inquiries regarding the incident, the community hospital was aware of the feedback. Their hospital staff immediately assisted the man and replaced the food. Furthermore, the head chef also visited the patient to know his concerns and explain the investigation results. 

Not a cockroach, but anchovies 

According to investigations, the hospital stated that the black object was anchovies, one of the ingredients for the pandan nasi lemak meal that the patient had eaten. 

The hospital explained: “Specifically, the darker part is the anchovy’s stomach. Anchovies’ stomachs usually turn black after being deep-fried at high temperatures, which may cause them to be mistaken for insects.” 

“We are very grateful for the feedback from our patients, and we highly value all feedback regarding food quality and patient experience,” they added. 

To further address the issue, the hospital also sought help from a pest control company, which claimed that it was not a cockroach, nor any part of a cockroach. 

In similar news related to food hygiene and safety in hospitals, there was a recent report where hospital visitors were shocked when they encountered birds lingering for food inside the food court. This sparked concerns about the hospital’s food standards, given that birds can carry bacteria that may affect the patients and the public. 

Read more about the news story here.