ANNEX
Key Features of the Food Safety and Security Bill
A. Consolidate and refresh existing food-related legislation
1. [Consolidated/Streamlined] Harmonise similar requirements that are imposed in various Acts today as part of the consolidation of food-related legislation into a single FSSB, which will make it clearer and easier for the industry to refer to. For example, importers will only need to refer to the FSSB on the requirements to import food commodities, instead of having to refer to different Acts previously.
2. [Enhanced] Currently, food businesses and animal feed producers are required to comply with pre-licensing requirements and conditions of their licence that prescribe how they should carry out operations to ensure food is safe / feed is fit-for-purpose. The FSSB will not prescribe operational details under existing legislation but will require licensees to maintain Food Control Plan and Feed Control Plans.
3. [Consolidated/Streamlined] Allow consumers greater flexibility on the quantity of food brought in for private consumption. Each consumer will be allowed to bring in a total of 15 kg of food across all categories for private consumption. This is compared to individual limits based on commodity types today, e.g. 5 kg for meat and seafood; a small, reasonable quantity (i.e. hand-carry size) of fruits and vegetables; and 30 hen eggs. Under FSSB, limitations on source countries for meat will no longer apply. However, food products of higher regulatory concern, such as animal blood and game meat, will continue to be prohibited. More details will be shared when ready.
B. Strengthen Singapore’s food safety regime to better protect consumers and public health
1. [New] Extend coverage of food safety legislation beyond the sale of food to the “supply” of food, which includes donation and free distribution of food. This ensures food safety coverage across different channels by which members of the public might access food. Requirements to ensure food safety will be commensurate with the food safety risk of the activity.
2. [New] Require key food distribution nodes to keep records for traceability and recalls so that unsafe food and food contact articles, or animal feed unfit for purpose can be removed from the market in a timely manner to minimise impact on human health.
3. [Enhanced] Increase maximum penalties and strengthen food safety regulatory framework for stronger deterrence against non-compliance:
- [Enhanced] Penalties will be tiered based on severity and culpability of offences. Higher penalties will apply for (a) repeat offenders and corporate entities, (b) offences that involve unsafe food, which causes illness, harm and physical injury and (c) offences that are committed knowingly. Maximum penalties are raised to ensure continued deterrent effect.
- [New] Recalcitrant offenders whose licences are revoked will be disqualified from holding new licences of the same type for a specified duration. This prevents unfit and unsuitable persons from operating food businesses, which could jeopardise human or public health. Associates of disqualified persons will have that association taken into consideration when SFA assesses whether a licence should be granted.
4. [Enhanced] Given the close link between food, health and nutrition, the Ministry of Health may make food-related regulations to promote better health for the general public. The FSSB clarifies the regulations that may be made for health promotion purposes. Current requirements related to health promotion such the ban on partially hydrogenated oil as an ingredient in foods sold in Singapore as the mandatory Nutri-Grade labelling of beverages graded "C" and "D" will remain.
C. Keep pace with emerging challenges in safeguarding food security
1. [Enhanced] Introduce a Minimum Stockholding Requirement (MSR) to allow MSE/SFA to continue administering the Rice Stockpile Scheme (RSS) while future-proofing our food security levers, given increased uncertainty and frequency of food supply disruptions. Rice importers who are currently required to stockpile rice under the RSS as part of their import licence condition, will continue to be required to do so now under the MSR obligation. The MSR framework under the FSSB provides more effective levers to ensure compliance and enables the Government to extend similar stockpiling schemes to other essential food items or agri-food production inputs if needed in future.
2. [New] Require local farms to develop and implement a Farm Management Plan to mitigate risks to food safety, as well as to disease spread and water quality so as to ensure the sustainable scale up of food production.
