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NCFS is located at the International Business Park and is a key component of Singapore’s integrated food safety programme.
What is the purpose of the NCFS?
NCFS conducts food safety tests, research and development (R&D), and risk assessment to support SFA’s regulatory functions in ensuring a supply of safe food for Singapore.
NCFS brings together key competencies in food safety regulatory sciences, food safety diagnostics, and R&D in food safety. The Centre is equipped with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and facilities.
The Centre maintains a vigilant watch by constantly scanning the environment for new and emerging threats, and developing new testing capabilities to detect emerging chemical, radiological, and microbiological hazards in food.
What tests are performed by NCFS?
NCFS tests and monitors food and food products along the supply chain to ensure they are safe, and free from harmful contaminants, pathogens, and toxins.
The tests cover various aspects of food safety, from testing for disease-causing organisms and food poisoning agents to detecting foodborne pathogens, harmful chemicals, toxins, and incidents of food fraud.
Below is a list of the tests performed by NCFS:
- Environmental Contaminants (Chemical)
- Process Contaminants (Chemical)
- Drug & Pesticide Residues
- Foodborne Toxins
- Food Radioactivity
- Food Allergens
- Food Microbiology (Bacteria, Virus, Parasites) Tests
- Food Additives
- Food Contact Materials (FCMs)
- Genetic Modified Organism (GMO) testing
What are the quality standards of NCFS?
NCFS’ laboratories meet internationally recognised standards by:
- having a rigorous Quality Assurance programme that includes using validated methods and reference materials, and applying strict Quality Control measures at all stages of testing from sample management to final reporting and verification of test results. This will provide assurance to our regulatory counterparts that NCFS is able to produce accurate tests
- actively participating in Inter-Laboratory Proficiency Testing Schemes that assess the laboratory’s ability to produce reliable test results, comparable to those analysed by internationally recognised laboratories
- maintaining accreditation with the Singapore Accreditation Council-Singapore Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (SAC-SINGLAS) for compliance with the ISO/IEC Guide 17025: General Requirements for the Competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories
NCFS also keeps abreast of the latest technology to achieve the highest level of expertise, technical standards, efficiency and quality assurance.
What roles does NCFS play regionally or globally?
World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Food Contamination Monitoring
World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) Collaborating Centre for Food Safety
ASEAN Food Reference Laboratories (AFRLs)
AFRLs are government testing laboratories with competence in specific areas of expertise.
NCFS serves as the ASEAN Food Reference Laboratory in the following areas:
1.Pesticide Residues (since 2004)
2.Mycotoxins (since 2004)
3.Environmental contaminants (since 2014)
4.Marine Biotoxins and Scrombrotoxin (since 2019)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) network of Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity (ALMERA)
Are tours or learning journeys available?
NCFS is not open to the public for visits, tours, or walk-ins. NCFS hosts learning journeys for teachers and students from tertiary institutions.
| Learning Journeys | |
|---|---|
| Suitable for | Preferably students studying science-related topics from polytechnics and universities |
| Pax | Maximum 20 pax per session |
| Sessions | Every second Friday of the month |
| Timing | 9.30am - 11.00am |
| To request | Apply here |
For more information
You can contact us via the SFA Online Feedback Form.
