RQA Insight A snapshot of the Singapore Food Industry

Food Manufacturing - What does Food Safety Look Like in Singapore? Why Singapore? Singapore is recognised as having many specific regulations with strict enforcement Singapore is a city-state in Southeast in place. The implementation and enforcement is something that consumers and Asia. It is a small island but despite its investors have high confidence in. All food manufacturing companies are subject to size it has gained popularity across the regular inspections by regulatory bodies with defined standards and requirements world as a place to do business, and this established. includes the food industry. Singapore is selected by many multinational food There is also a push for 3rd party certifications to be obtained to increase the food companies as a base for their Asia- safety standards and to ensure due diligence. With the increasing food safety scares Pacific HQ due to its strategic location, and knowledge of food safety among consumers globally, these standards provide strong talent base, stable economy some confidence in food safety in manufacturing but they are not universally adopted and strong government support. Based in Singapore. on statistics from and The Business Times, there are Specifically, the internationally recognised standards under the Global Food Safety more than 840 food manufacturing Initiative are certainly not new to the food industry in Singapore. However, the local establishments in Singapore. In 2017, the regulations are not comparable to the GFSI schemes. Local regulatory standards focus food manufacturing industry contributed on site implementation, enforcement, practices, licensing and permits; whereas GFSI S$4.3 billion (USD 3.2bn) to GDP and have more prescriptive requirements. employed about 48,000 workers. Food exports make up 50% of the industry’s The majority of the food manufacturers in Singapore range from small to medium manufacturing sales. scale manufacturing. Many of these organisations are family run and may have limited facilities and infrastructures. They may even lack food safety knowledge, practices and The food manufacturing industry is modern technologies. The food safety standards based on GFSI, are perceived by these strongly supported by the government companies as difficult to achieve and expensive to implement. They will only attempt in Singapore. In 2016, the Food to gain certification if a customer requires it. In order to assist SMEs in Singapore to Manufacturing Industry Transformation better achieve such food safety standards, local standards like SS444: 2018 and SS590: Map (ITM) was launched with the vision 2013 have been developed. These standards fill the gaps for companies that are keen to develop Singapore into a leading to have certification but feel that they do not want or could not achieve those global food and nutrition hub in Asia by 2025. standards. Its focus is on how businesses can strategically grow through innovation, SS444: 2018 adopts the basic HACCP requirements, mainly from the Codex Alimentarius. internationalisation and technology and This standard can be accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council. Whereas create higher-value jobs. SS590: 2013 is drafted in a similar structure to, and is a modified adoption of ISO22000. SS5990: 2013 is accredited by Singapore Accreditation Council and will condition end- users to the certification and auditing framework of ISO 22000, which makes it easier for companies to adopt the ISO 22000 in the future.

www.rqa-group.com [email protected] Who are the Food Authorities in Singapore?

Several governmental agencies including The Agri-Food The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) and National and Ministry of National Development (MND), stated in July Environmental Agency (NEA) currently ensure food safety 2018 that… and food hygiene in Singapore. It was announced in July 2018 that a new government agency, The Singapore Food Agency “A dedicated agency will strengthen our management (SFA), will be formed with effect from 1 April 2019. The SFA of foodborne disease outbreaks to protect public will bring together food-related functions currently carried health, through closer coordination of responses to out by the AVA, the NEA and the Health Sciences Authority. food-related issues, including product tracing and The integration will enhance regulatory oversight over all recall, and engagement of various stakeholders and food related matters from farm to fork and further strengthen the public. This enables the SFA to address lapses their food safety regime. SFA brings together all food-related resources and capabilities to enhance food safety and will more quickly and more holistically and streamline oversee food safety regulations across the entire chain. public feedback to one point of contact.”

Example of recalls reported in Singapore by their competitors, deterring them from wanting or having the AVA in 2018: capability to expand locally or regionally.

• Peanut butter recalled due to metal screw found in Singapore imports more than 90 per cent of the food consumed product (May 2018) and are dependent on the overseas market. It is therefore • Mould found in jam pancake exposed to the challenges of the global food industry. With • High levels of pesticide in lettuce rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, climate change that • Bacteria in infant formula threatens farming and our food production sectors, there is an • Spread potentially contaminated with pest droppings impact on increasing food supply and cost. This also includes • Contaminated coffee foodborne and antimicrobial resistant pathogens that pose • Microbiological contamination of frozen vegetables challenges to food safety. Increasingly complex supply chains also exacerbate food risks.

With the free information flow and opinion exchange on social media, news etc there is a greater demand from consumers for more transparency and information on the food that they are eating. The rapid rate of technological advancement and emergence of disruptive technologies add further pressure to both businesses and regulators. Consumers are also getting more and more health conscious and have been getting more demanding on the nutritional aspects of the food they eat. Summary:

International food manufacturers looking to source products from Singapore will find an active and growing food industry that is forward looking alongside a new food agency with a remit to strengthen the food safety regime and facilitate business-friendly regulations. The Agency will also have a focus on the management of food-bourne diseases including tighter coordination of product tracing and product recall.

What Challenges does Singapore’s Food Whilst globally recognised food safety standards may not Industry Face? always be attainable by local producers, there are local standards in place to provide a food safety focus in production; recognising there is always more to be done. When sourcing The Singapore food manufacturing industry has prospered products, it is always the responsibility of international food over the years and is expected to continue growing, however, manufacturers or retailers to carry out thorough assessments challenges remain in such a small country. These challenges during the procurement process. Having an understanding include productivity and manpower issues which affect the of the developing food safety scene in Singapore should help labour cost, production cost, rental cost etc. There is also a with this process. lack of skilled labour and professionals unlike other industries like electronics or engineering. The lack of skilled workers put local companies in a weaker strategic position compared to www.rqa-group.com [email protected] Appendix: Relevant Industry Bodies in Singapore

SFMA Food Innovation & Resource Centre (FIRC) The Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association (SFMA) is a The Food Innovation and Resource Centre (FIRC) was launched professional and active trade association formed in 1967 by in 2007 as a joint initiative between Singapore Polytechnic a small group of like-minded local food manufacturers with and SPRING Singapore. They are established to provide food the purpose of developing and promoting the local food enterprises with technical expertise in new product and process manufacturing industry. Members comprise small family development including packaging, shelf life evaluation and concerns, small-and-medium enterprises, public listed market testing. FIRC facilities includes test and development companies, traders and various supplier companies related to kitchen, sensory booths, pilot plants and a range of laboratories. food industry. It’s mission is to: Their services include consultancy, equipment for lease, training and advisory support. Services offered are designed to assist 3 To unite the local food manufacturers for mutual benefit and food enterprises in developing innovative food products to meet growth. the changing demands of consumers, which will give sustainable 3 To enhance the co-operation between food manufacturers competitive advantage to the company. and supporting industries in the hope of greater economies of scale and bargaining power. 3 To act as a bridge between the relevant government authorities and the food manufacturers so as to respond For more information on our services: effectively to the government’s policiesin helping to promote the development of the food industry. Visit our website www.rqa-group.com 3 To act as the primary intermediary for local and foreign Get in touch on [email protected] business matching contacts. Call us on +44 (0)118 935 7242 Enterprise Singapore International Enterprise Singapore and SPRING came together on 1 April 2018 as a single agency to form Enterprise Singapore. Enterprise Singapore is the government agency leading enterprise development. They work with committed companies to build capabilities, innovation and internationalise. They support the growth of Singapore as a hub for global trading and startup. Being the national standards and accreditation body, they continue to build trust in Singapore’s product and service through quality and standards.

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