Businesses that Need Licence / Registration for Food Manufacturing & Storage

Businesses that Need Licence / Registration for Food Manufacturing & Storage

Licence/Registration	Type of establishment and activity
Licence to Operate a Coldstore	All coldstores for meat and seafood products must be licensed before they store food for wholesale distribution. This licence is for storage only. There must not be any processing or retail activities.
Licence to Operate a Food Processing Establishment	All food processing establishments must be licensed before they manufacture, process, prepare, or package food for distribution to wholesalers and retailers. Examples include flour confectionery factories, central kitchens, dairy processing plants, noodle and pasta manufacturers, food repacking plants, and surimi-based product factories.
Licence to Operate a Slaughterhouse	All slaughterhouses for poultry and livestock must be licensed before they slaughter, process, prepare, package, or store food for distribution to wholesalers or retailers.
Registration of Food Storage Warehouses (non-meat/non-fish)	Food storage warehouses are encouraged to register with SFA to facilitate traceability in the event of food recalls. Food storage warehouses are buildings, facilities, structures, or premises where food is stored for sale or distribution to other food processors, wholesalers, or any other business selling or distributing to the ultimate consumer. This includes cold rooms for the storage of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, and ambient storage of dry food products. However, you will require a SFA licence if: There is chilled/frozen storage of meat and seafood products. You will need to apply for a Licence to Operate a Cold Store. There is repacking of food products or food processing activities involved. You will need to apply for a Licence to Operate a Food Processing Establishment.

Licence/Registration	Conditions
Licence to Operate a Coldstore	Applicants must comply with: general requirements prevailing food safety laws licensing conditions Conditions of licensing for food establishments Conditions of licensing for meat, fish and egg processing establishments and cold stores Conditions of licensing for poultry slaughterhouses Conditions of licensing for pig slaughterhouses Additional conditions of licensing for food processing establishments processing insects & insect products as food
Licence to Operate a Food Processing Establishment
Licence to Operate Slaughterhouse
Licence to Operate Slaughterhouse
Registration of Food Storage Warehouses (non-meat/non-fish)	Applicants must be eligible and are advised to align their practices to SFA’s Good Warehousing Practices (GWP) [English / 中文]

S/N	Guidelines for the Production of Insects as Food
1	The species of insects farmed should only be those listed in the Food Safety and Security (Catalogued Insect-like Species) Order 2025 assessed to be safe for human consumption. Insects that are not in this list should undergo evaluation to ensure that the insect species are safe to consume.
2	Wild-harvested insects should only be used as a supplemental breeding stock.
3	Applicants should establish and submit a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)/ Food Safety Management System (FSMS) plan in their production and post-harvest processes to identify hazards and the control measures. Applicants are required to implement the HACCP/FSMS as submitted throughout the licence term.
4	Substrates The substrate used for feeding of insects should not be contaminated with any substances that may cause the insects to be unsafe for human consumption.
5	Substrates Manure, decomposing organic material, and materials originating from diseased animals or fish should not be used as feeding substrates. For materials of ruminant origin, only deboned meat cuts and dairy (e.g. milk and cheese) products are allowed. If the food waste to be used as insect substrate, it should not be in a decaying or decomposing state. (Decomposing state is identified by putrid odours, mushy/slimy, or with visible mould or bacterial growth. Substrates which have undergone controlled fermentation are permitted). Applicants should ensure that there is a system in place to screen inputs into the waste stream, ensuring that the substrate does not contain any disallowed materials.
6	Post-harvest Good hygiene practices should be implemented during post-harvest handling to prevent cross-contamination.
7	Post-harvest Insects for human consumption should have been subjected to sufficient heat treatment, or an equivalent bactericidal process, to kill pathogens prior to consumption and to ensure they are safe for consumption.
8	The licensee should not conduct any sales of live insects to retailers or members of the public without the prior approval of the Director-General.