New law to boost safety regulations, safeguard food security in S'pore

It will enable more food types, beyond rice, to be stockpiled in future if needed

- Shabana Begum

A new law that aims to bolster Singapore's food safety regulations and safeguard food security will, among other things, enable the stockpiling of more food types, as Singapore moves to deal with an increasingly complex agri-food supply chain and climate change.

The Food Safety and Security Bill, which was passed in Parliament on Jan 8, also spells out stronger maximum penalties for offences involving unsafe food that causes illness, harm and physical injury to consumers.

For example, a company will face a maximum penalty of $50,000 for a food safety-related offence under the new law, from the maximum fine of $5,000 or $50,000 under different legislations.

The new law will also bar offenders whose licences have been revoked due to fraud or multiple food safety lapses from holding new licences of the same type for up to three years. Currently, those who have had their licences revoked can reapply for the same licence immediately after conviction.

On the need for a consolidated law, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment and Manpower Koh Poh Koon told Parliament: "The agri-food supply chain is getting increasingly complex, involving multiple stakeholders and more potential points of failure."

He added: "Before food reaches our tables, the base ingredients are very likely grown in multiple countries, processed in yet another country, and then packaged and distributed to supermarkets and retail food businesses locally."