Singapore notes rise in recalls and incidents

Singapore saw foodborne illness rates and recalls slightly increase in 2024 compared to the year before.

Data comes from the Singapore Food Statistics 2024 report published recently by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

Singapore imports more than 90 percent of its food supply. This leaves the country vulnerable to supply chain disruptions. In 2024, the SFA approved Portugal as a new source for pork, beef from Brunei and Poland, and poultry from Turkey.

Singapore’s food safety system includes data-driven inspections of farms and food plants and horizon scanning for early alerts on incidents.

Pending the conclusion of one case still under investigation, the number of foodborne illnesses per 100,000 population in 2024 was 22.8 compared to 21.9 in 2023. These figures only include incidents with 15 or more sick people.

Main food safety highlights
As more than half of these cases involved catered food, the SFA stepped up targeted checks on establishments supplying catered food. The SFA engaged food industry associations to share key insights from these outbreaks and reminded operators about good food safety practices.

The SFA and the Ministry of Health recorded 31 incidents that had a foodborne cause and the data on the source was inconclusive for another 18.

Food recalls rose slightly from 23 in 2023 to 26 in 2024. Eleven were because of allergens, eight because of chemical hazards, five for microbial reasons, and two because of physical hazards.

Imported fresh fruits and vegetables saw a slight decrease in pass rates from 84 percent to 82 percent because of cases involving detection of pesticide residues that exceeded maximum residue limits. Samples collected from local vegetable farms achieved a high pass rate in 2024 of 98 percent.

From 2022 to 2024, there was a decline in inspections because of SFA’s shift toward a targeted and data-driven inspection regime. However, there was an increase in non-compliances.

Central kitchens and retail food establishments had higher rates of non-compliance. For central kitchens, 9.6 percent of 874 inspections revealed problems while for retailers the rate was 16 percent of more than 32,400 visits.

There was an increase in food establishments suspended under the point demerit system from 52 in 2023 to 62 in 2024. Under this system, an establishment gets points for each food safety offence that is convicted in court. Upon accumulating 12 or more points within 12 months, their license could be suspended or cancelled.

Recent fines
Also in Singapore, Tiberias International Food Pte was recently fined $1,000 (U.S. $778) by a court for food safety violations committed under the Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations.

In June 2024, the Ministry of Health and Singapore Food Agency received reports of gastroenteritis involving six people who had consumed food prepared by Ayam Penyet President, which is a retail establishment under Tiberias International Food.

An inspection at the premises at Hillion Mall found multiple food safety lapses. These included a dirty chiller, which increases the risk of cross contamination, as well as dirty racks and wall tiles, which indicated poor food safety standards.

In May, The Blackbird SG Pte was fined $850 (U.S. $660) for breaches of the Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations.

In December 2023, the Ministry of Health and Singapore Food Agency were alerted to reports of 40 ill people who had consumed food prepared by The Blackbird.

An investigation at the operator’s site found problems such as a dirty chiller, which increases the risk of cross contamination. Samples of ready-to-eat sandwiches also failed the SFA’s food safety tests.

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