The Singapore Parliament has introduced the Food Safety and Security Bill on Tuesday (12 Nov), aimed at reinforcing the country’s food safety regulations and introducing additional food security measures.
Put forward by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE), the Bill seeks to unify current food laws, introduce more stringent penalties, and address emerging food security concerns.
According to a media factsheet by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), the new Bill proposes stiffer penalties to discourage non-compliance with food safety laws.
Sanctions will be tiered to reflect the severity and intent of each offence. For repeat offenders, penalties may reach up to S$50,000 (US$37,600) and/or a jail term of up to two years, while companies may face fines up to S$100,000.
The Bill also specifies higher penalties for repeat offenders, companies, and situations where food safety lapses result in public health impacts or where violations are committed with full awareness of potential risks.
Further restrictions are proposed for those with revoked food licences due to safety lapses or fraud, barring them from holding a similar licence for up to three years.
Those who have had their licences revoked would also be prohibited from holding executive roles, such as director or CEO, in a similar business.
SFA notes that these provisions are intended to prevent individuals considered unfit for food business management from overseeing food-related operations.
To add further regulatory controls, the Bill would give SFA the ability to restrict business applications for individuals or entities whose licences have been revoked and to consider the relationships of “associates” of disqualified individuals, such as family members, when evaluating future licence applications.
The proposed changes follow recent high-profile food safety lapses that have resulted in illness among consumers. In April, a food safety breach at Peach Garden’s Thomson Plaza outlet led to a temporary suspension after dozens of customers experienced gastroenteritis.
Similarly, in July, a foodborne illness incident at ByteDance’s Singapore office affected more than 160 employees, leading to the suspension of two catering businesses involved in supplying the food. In October, Stamford Catering Services was also temporarily suspended after an incident that left over 50 people ill.
Under the proposed legislation, food safety regulations would extend beyond food sold to cover food donations and other free distributions.
Presently, SFA can only enforce food safety standards for food that is sold, limiting its ability to act on potential safety risks in donated or free food.
Under the new law, donated food would be subject to similar safety requirements, allowing SFA to take action if public health risks are identified.
The Bill also calls for record-keeping requirements for food recalls and traceability, mandating that food importers, manufacturers, and animal feed producers maintain records to help remove unsafe food from circulation quickly.
Distributors would be required to provide recall records within 24 hours and notify SFA in the event of voluntary recalls.
The Bill also proposes changes to import rules, permitting travellers and consumers to bring up to 15kg of food across various categories for personal consumption.
This limit replaces the previous itemised limits, such as 5kg for meat and seafood. However, some high-risk items, including animal blood and game meat, will remain prohibited.
To enhance food security, the Bill introduces a Minimum Stockholding Requirement (MSR) scheme, which mandates that rice importers hold an inventory twice their monthly imports. This measure aims to provide a buffer against potential supply chain disruptions.
SFA has indicated that although the MSR currently applies only to rice, it could potentially be extended to other essential food items in the future, should the need arise.
SFA’s director-general of food administration, Dr Tan Lee Kim, speaking to local media, stated that should any additional items be added to the MSR, affected companies would receive six months’ advance notice.
The Bill also outlines new requirements for local farms, which will need to implement management plans addressing food safety and environmental standards.
This includes waste management, water quality control, and disease prevention measures. Currently, all farms in Singapore must meet sanitary standards, with poultry farms also subject to additional biosecurity measures.
SFA noted that the proposals in the Bill were developed through consultations with industry stakeholders that began in August 2023, as well as public feedback sessions held in stages from March to September this year.
Additional consultations with the industry are planned before new requirements are implemented under the Bill.
The Food Safety and Security Bill will undergo a second reading in Parliament in January 2025.
