Caught on camera: Stallholder sprays insecticide on vegetables in Bukit Panjang

The appearance of cockroaches would send many people scrambling for a can of insecticide.

But when a woman recently tried to kill pests at a fruit and vegetable stall in Bukit Panjang, her actions sparked food safety concerns online.

In a video clip circulating on Facebook since March 14, she was seen spraying insecticide into a styrofoam box containing bags of garlic.

The text that accompanied the clip read: "I saw this auntie use Baygon to spray vegetables and garlic. Can see insects running around. I just want to know is this acceptable?"

Several Facebook users chimed in saying that it is not the first time the stallholder has been spotted doing this at the stall. Others voiced concerns about the potential problems of consuming food tainted with insecticide.

According to the post, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has been alerted to this incident.

A Lianhe Wanbao reporter soon visited the stall and noticed a stench of rotting produce which attracted baby cockroaches, ants and flies.

Fruits and vegetables for sale were also laid out in a haphazard manner at the stall, with several bunches of overripe bananas sitting on the ground.

According to those working in the vicinity, an elderly couple has been running the stall in the market for the past 10 years.

Despite the stall's poor hygiene, residents chose not to report the matter to the authorities and continued to patronise the stall as they want to help the stallholders who are said to suffer from poor mental health.

"Even so, we buy things from them so we can help them out. We don't eat the produce, we throw them away," a woman working in a nearby store said.

Contrary to netizens' claims that she had sprayed insecticide on the vegetables for sale, the stallholder told Wanbao: "I only sprayed insecticide on the outside, it's alright, I'm not doing it anymore."

The stall also has trouble clearing its stock of bananas, she said, adding that she will discard those that have gone bad.

"The presence of so many cockroaches gives me a headache, it is tough managing this stall."

In response to AsiaOne's queries, a spokesperson from SFA said: "Baygon is an insecticide meant for vector control and should not be used on food. SFA is looking into the matter."

lamminlee@asiaone.com