Consultation on Inclusion of New Food Additive Provisions under the Food Regulations

Regulatory Administration Group, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority

Consultation Period: 21 Feb 2018 - 20 Apr 2018

Status: Closed

Detailed Description

Aim

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) invites interested members of the food industry (local food manufacturers and importers) to submit applications for:

(a) the use of new food additives currently not permitted for use in Singapore; and/or

(b) the extension of the use of existing food additives to a wider range of food products.

Background

Food additives are chemical substances which are intentionally added to food, typically in very small known amounts, in order to serve specific technological functions. It is internationally accepted that food additives should only be used when:

• there is a technological justification for their use;

• their use does not mislead consumers; and

• they do not present any health risks to consumers.

The Food Regulations specifies the types of food additives that may be added to food imported/manufactured and sold in Singapore, and the categories of food to which they may be added to. Further information on the regulation of food additives in Singapore is available from the following web links:

• Food Regulations

• Requirements for Use of Food Additives (Guidance document)

• List of Permitted Food Additives (Guidance document)

As the national food safety authority, AVA assesses the safety of food additives and sets maximum permitted levels for their use. After establishing the safety of a food additive and its intended manner of usage, a legal process is necessary to incorporate provisions for the use of the food additive under the Food Regulations. This process includes legal drafting, public consultation and WTO notification. The new food additive may be used in food following official gazettal of the new provisions in the Food Regulations.

Invitation to submit applications for use of food additives

In order to facilitate trade, the industry is invited to submit applications for the use of new food additives and/or extension of the use of currently permitted food additives for AVA’s safety assessment. Based on the level of interest from the industry, AVA will coordinate and prioritise applications for safety assessment and incorporation into the Food Regulations.

Members of the industry interested in applying for the use of new food additives are to submit the following information for AVA’s safety assessment:

(a)  Chemical identity and specifications of the food additive;

(b)  Purpose / technological function of the food additive;

(c)  Proposed list of food products which will be added with the food additive and the intended levels of use;

(d)  International recommendations on the use of the food additive (e.g. relevant Codex standards) and/or regulatory approvals in major developed countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, the European Union and the United States of America); and

(e)  Safety assessment conducted by the Joint FAO-WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) or food safety authorities of major developed countries; or where unavailable, relevant scientific information such as toxicological studies and human clinical trials published in reputable scientific journals.

For the extension of use of currently permitted food additives to a wider range of food products, the industry need only submit information listed in (b) to (d) above.

All information provided should be complete and relevant to the specific application, and provided clearly and concisely in English. Applications may be submitted by email (preferred) or mail to the following addresses by 12:00 p.m., 20 April 2018*:

Email:

TAY_Geng_Yu@ava.gov.sg

CHENG_Chee_Seng@ava.gov.sg

Mail:

Regulatory Programmes Department

Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority

52 Jurong Gateway Road #14-01

Singapore 608550

(Attention: Mr Tay Geng Yu / Mr Cheng Chee Seng)

*Whilst the consultation exercise ends at 12:00 pm on 20 April 2018, interested parties may continue to submit applications to AVA throughout the year, but these applications will be prioritized for evaluation accordingly.