Singapore Introduces the Food Safety and Security Bill

On November 12, 2024, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment of Singapore released the Food Safety and Security Bill (FSSB) for first reading in parliament. Since August 2023, the Ministry has extensively discussed the proposed FSSB provisions with industry stakeholders, with public consultations via REACH took place from March to September 2024. In the next stage, the government will continue to engage with the industry before implementing any new requirements related to the FSSB.

As revealed by Singapore Food Agency (SFA), the FSSB will implement the following new requirements for importers:

1. Consolidating and enhancing existing food-related legislation

• Similar requirements from various Acts are proposed to be harmonized as part of the consolidation of food-related legislation into a single FSSB. For example, importers will only need to consult the FSSB for food import requirements, rather than multiple Acts as before.

• Currently, food businesses and animal feed producers must meet pre-licensing requirements to ensure safety and suitability. The FSSB will not dictate operational details but will require licensees to maintain Food Control and Feed Control Plans.

2. Strengthening food safety regime

• Expanding food safety legislation to cover not only food sales but also the supply of food, including donations and free distribution. This ensures safety across all channels of food acquisition, with requirements aligned to the associated risks.

• Mandating key food distribution nodes to maintain records for traceability and recalls, allowing for the timely removal of unsafe food, food contact articles, and unfit animal feed from the market to minimize health risks.

• Increasing maximum penalties and strengthening the food safety regulatory framework to deter non-compliance. Notably, recalcitrant offenders whose licenses are revoked will be disqualified from obtaining new licenses of the same type for a specified duration, which prevents unsuitable individuals from operating food businesses that could endanger public health.

• In consideration of the strong connection between food, health, and nutrition, the Ministry of Health may establish food-related regulations to enhance public health. The FSSB clarifies the regulations that may be made for health promotion purposes.. Existing requirements, such as the ban on partially hydrogenated oils in foods sold in Singapore and the mandatory Nutri-Grade labeling for beverages graded "C" and "D," will remain in effect.