Woman falls sick after drinking sugar cane juice with tissue inside at Balestier market, makes police report

[UPDATE: April 3, 4:35PM]

In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said they are investigating the incident.

The agency added that members of the public who come across such incidents should report to them via the online feedback form.

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What was supposed to be a nice lunch with the family turned into a living nightmare for one woman who found a wad of tissue at the bottom of her cup. 

To make things worse, she fell sick later and had to visit a doctor. 

In an interview with AsiaOne, the woman's husband Chor Chim Yong, said that the incident happened on March 26 at around 2pm. 

He said he had purchased a cup of sugar cane juice for his wife from a drink stall at Balestier Market, and it came in an opaque green plastic cup. 

While his wife was sipping on her drink, she discovered something at the bottom of the cup under the ice. 

"She asked me if I had bought the sugar cane juice with lemon and I told her that I did not do so," Chor recounted. 

Chor's wife then used a chopstick to fish out the item at the bottom of the cup and to her horror, it turned out to be a wad of tissue paper. 

After making the gross discovery, Chor confronted the female employee that made the juice for him. 

The operation manager then told Chor that the stall would replace the drink for him. 

Unsatisfied, Chor requested to speak to the boss of the stall but the operations manager insisted that the issue should be settled the next day (March 27).

Chor said both parties later agreed that the cost of any medical check-ups and tests will be borne by the stall. 

"However, the letter of negotiation was drafted several times. It practically differed from the terms during the verbal discussions that were made to us," he said.

Eventually, at around 7.30pm on March 26, Chor said his wife went to Raffles Medical Centre for a checkup, accompanied by the operational manager and human resources manager from the stall's operator. 

After the medical consultation, Chor said the company agreed to pay Chor's wife's medical bill but on the condition that the matter should be closed and not publicised on social media. 

"It seemed their actions were merely thinking about their reputation and not a sincere action. As such, we decided to pay the medical bill ourselves instead," said Chor. 

Diarrhoea, nausea and abdominal pain

This nightmare didn't end there for the woman. 

The next day (March 27), she complained of diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain and nausea. She and her husband suspected that it was caused by the tissue found in the drink. 

So, she visited a doctor for the second time for treatment over at Raffles Medical Clinic at Bishan. 

After the checkup, she was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis, in a medical report seen by AsiaOne. 

Chor shared that the family has since made a police report and also reported the incident to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). 

The police confirmed with AsiaOne that on March 26 at 3.18pm, they received a call for assistance along Balestier Road. 

"The parties were advised accordingly. No further police assistance was required," said the police. 

AsiaOne has reached out to SFA for more information. 

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melissateo@asiaone.com