# Dozens at TikTok HQ suffer food poisoning **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 31, 2024, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052 "2024-07-31T10:55:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/1 "2024-07-31T10:55:24Z")
I know the internet is probably aflame with conspiracy theories, but why? If TikTok fell ( and I realize this is nowhere close to that happening) who would profit? And are the food safety laws in Singapore pretty good? > **[TikTok headquarters staff hit by mass food poisoning incident](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw9yzyvyex7o)** > > Singapore officials say they are investigating the incident, which hospitalised 57 people. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/2 "2024-07-31T10:57:55Z")
Why does an article about TikTok _not_ have a video? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/3 "2024-07-31T11:18:06Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > I know the internet is probably aflame with conspiracy theories, but why? Because a depressing number of people love conspiracy theories, and the internet enables even unimaginative people to learn about (and pass along) conspiracy theories that never would have reached them a few decades ago. Thus, CTs travel much farther than they did in the past. **[Hanlonā€™s razor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon%27s_razor)** is applicable to this incident. Foodborne illness happens all over the world every day, which means a conspiracy is not even remotely required in order for the staff of TikTok to have their turn in the barrel. Moreover, a few dozen people working from the bathroom for a couple of days will not seriously damage TikTokā€™s business; a CT that asserts otherwise is a truly dumb one. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/4 "2024-07-31T13:13:01Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > And are the food safety laws in Singapore pretty good? All the laws in Singapore are enforced very well, ISTM. Are they good laws? Ah, thatā€™s the rub. But, yes, AFAIK, the food safety laws and regulations are stringent and enforced. You can have a look around the [Singapore Food Agency](https://www.sfa.gov.sg/homepage) site. They currently have [449 suspension and downgrading notices listed](https://www.sfa.gov.sg/newsroom/food-hygiene-notices). The links above are to the SFAā€™s regular site. The Beta site seems to be good, but I donā€™t want to make the choice for you to subject your computer to it. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/5 "2024-07-31T13:23:16Z")
For 57 people to be affected, it probably doesnā€™t take more than one dish/sandwich. We had a scare about E. Coli in lettuce that had been used in factory-made sandwiches - people up and down the land got hit. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/6 "2024-07-31T13:28:04Z")
Mustā€™ve been the Potluck of Death. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/7 "2024-07-31T15:29:53Z")
Wait, 60 people were affected but 57 of them were sick enough to need _hospital_ treatment, requiring 17 ambulances? I can see how that might raise some eyebrows, unless itā€™s one of those cultural things where the threshold for someone calling an ambulance or going to a hospital is much lower in Singapore than it would be here. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2024, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/8 "2024-07-31T15:49:25Z")
Donā€™t know much about Singapore. Best guess is that most folks donā€™t have cars and donā€™t want to walk to or wait for scheduled public transit, and that there might not be ā€œurgent careā€ clinics like we have in the US, meaning a hospital would be the place you go when you need treatment within the next couple of hours instead of the next few days. Hopefully someone more familiar with Singapore can confirm whether any of this is on the mark. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/9 "2024-08-01T08:48:25Z")
And letā€™s not forget that one of the effects of food poisoning is diarrhea. You probably donā€™t want your transportation to the hospital taking its sweet time. You want to get there toot sweet. ---
**Author:** ![moes\_lotion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@moes\_lotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moes_lotion)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2024, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/10 "2024-08-01T21:56:55Z")
I recall hearing that private cars are exceedingly rare in Singapore, and the fees for the required permits are out of reach for most people, so unless the afflicted in this incident were well enough to walk to the hospital, the number of ambulances is not surprising. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/11 "2024-08-02T01:56:30Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > You want to get there toot sweet. With emergent food poisoning, your toot will definitely not be sweet. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/12 "2024-08-02T03:11:19Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > With emergent food poisoning, your toot will definitely not be sweet. Got hit with an FBI a year ago. This I know, sadly, all too well. ---
**Author:** ![andrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2024, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dozens-at-tiktok-hq-suffer-food-poisoning/1005052/13 "2024-08-02T14:07:43Z")
Yes, an individual cannot just buy a car in Singapore: they must bid for and win a ā€œcertificate of entitlementā€ which allows registering a car for a period of about 10 years. The cost is currently about $100,000. That may doubles, triples, or quadruple the cost of ownership (depending on the underlying vehicle purchase price). > **[Certificate of Entitlement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certificate_of_Entitlement)** > > The Certificate of Entitlement (COE) is the quota licence for owning a vehicle in Singapore. The licence is obtained from a successful winning bid in an open bid uniform price auction which grants the legal right of the holder to register, own and use a vehicle in Singapore for a period of 10 years. When demand is high, the cost of a COE can exceed the value of the car itself. The COE system was implemented in 1990 to regulate the number of vehicles on the road and control traffic congestion On...