Caterers must install CCTVs, retain food samples under new rules to improve food safety

SINGAPORE — Catering firms will have to abide by stricter rules next year, as the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is stepping up measures to improve food safety in Singapore and make it easier to track down the causes of gastroenteritis caused by contaminated food.

As part of the new rules, all food establishments licensed to provide catering services must have closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) in their food handling areas, while food establishments catering to vulnerable groups such as preschools and nursing homes must maintain “retention samples” of the food they provide to these groups. 

Both the CCTV footage and food samples would then be used to track down the cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks if they happen, SFA said on Wednesday (March 4).

In addition, food establishments that show good safety performance will have longer licence durations as a way to provide incentives for operators to aim higher, SFA said.

The strengthened measures come following a spate of gastroenteritis cases among schools last year, including at Zhenghua Primary School and several PCF Sparkletots preschool centres.

Those infected with gastroenteritis could contract it by consuming contaminated food and drink, resulting in diarrhoea or vomiting.

CCTV IN FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS

From the first quarter of 2022 onwards, all food establishments that are licensed to provide catering services must have CCTVs installed in food handling areas.

In a press release, the SFA said that the CCTVs will allow food establishments to better monitor their operations and shape good behaviour among food handlers to comply with food safety and hygiene regulations.

In the event of a gastroenteritis outbreak, SFA will request CCTV footage from the implicated food establishments to help with investigations.

The agency said that existing food establishments that provide catering services, which number about 1,000 currently, will be required to submit their CCTV plans before their licences can be renewed.

New food establishments must similarly submit their plans to obtain a licence.

FOOD RETENTION SAMPLES

About 150 food establishments catering to vulnerable groups, such as preschools and nursing homes, will soon have to maintain retention samples of the food they provide to these groups.

In an email reply to queries from TODAY, the SFA said that the quantity of these samples should be about several hundred grams for each dish served — sufficient for laboratory testing in the event of an investigation.

The samples should also be stored for a minimum time period that would allow symptoms of any foodborne outbreaks to manifest and for authorities to trace such symptomatic cases, which typically takes a few days.

They must also be stored in tamper-proof packaging under frozen conditions. 

The SFA said that in the event of a gastroenteritis outbreak, these food retention samples will be tested by SFA to investigate the cause of the outbreak.

It added that more details on when and how this requirement will be implemented will be announced at a later date.

LONGER LICENCES FOR THOSE WITH BETTER FOOD SAFETY RECORD

A new licencing and recognition framework for food establishments to spur food establishments here to maintain high standards of food safety will start in the first half of 2021.

The framework, which was first announced in 2018, involves placing food establishments into award tiers of bronze, silver or gold.

It will replace the current system which assigns grades of A,B,C or D.

Under the framework, the SFA said that food establishments will be divided into three categories — A, B and C — depending on their level of risk.

Those in Category A are food establishments that are significantly involved in food handling practices with higher food safety risks, such as preparing, processing and storing food under temperature-controlled conditions. Such establishments include caterers, restaurants and food manufacturers.

Those in Category B are moderately involved in handling food, such as bakeries and food shops.

Establishments in Category C are those that have negligible food safety risks, such as canteens, operators of food courts and supermarkets.

Depending on their food safety track record, those in Category A and B will be awarded the gold award, equivalent to a 10-year licence, a silver award (five-year licence) or bronze award (three-year licence).

New licensees or those with less than two years without a major lapse will be awarded a one-year licence. 

For instance, a restaurant, which falls under Category A, will qualify for the gold award tier if it has not suffered a major food safety lapse in the last 10 years. Major lapses include being implicated in a foodborne outbreak, having one’s licence suspended or being convicted in court for offences under SFA legislation.

The restaurant must also appoint an advanced food hygiene officer and have an accredited food safety management system to help it identify and reduce foodborne hazards in the food process chain.

On the other hand, a restaurant which has gone only two years without a major lapse and has appointed a food hygiene officer will be placed in the bronze award tier.

For canteens and supermarkets that fall under category C, those that go five years without a major lapse are granted a 10-year licence. If they go three years without a major lapse, they receive five-year licence and those that go less than three years without a major lapse will receive a three-year licence.

Food establishments under category C are not given awards.

The SFA said that the new framework will provide a better representation of a food establishment’s consistent efforts in ensuring food safety and hygiene, as opposed to the old grading system which provided only “a snapshot reflection” of an establishment’s hygiene standards.

“Notwithstanding the longer licence duration, SFA will continue to carry out inspections to ensure food establishments comply with food safety and hygiene requirements,” it added.

Food establishments will receive their projected award tiers closer to the implementation date.