Clearer safety rules for food containing insects, genetically modified and novel ingredients

Source: The Straits Times
Author: Cheryl Tan

SINGAPORE - Food establishments may have to show that an insect ingredient in their dish is an intentional choice - and not a result of contamination - once 16 such insects are approved for consumption here by June 2024.

These include insects or snacks made from insect ingredients like crickets, honeybees, silkworms and grasshoppers.

This is part of a draft Food Safety and Security Bill which will give more legal teeth to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to ensure that bugs, cultivated meat and genetically modified food are safe for public consumption.

A total of six public consultations will be completed by June, although SFA has not given a timeline on when the Bill will be tabled in Parliament.

The Bill consolidates eight existing food-related legislations and gives the agency new powers to ensure a supply of safe food for Singapore by enhancing food safety standards and strengthening resilience against food supply disruptions.

The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation has been promoting insects for human consumption as they are a rich source of protein and can feed the world's growing population in a more affordable and sustainable way.

Safeguards will be in place as part of the Bill to ensure food hygiene is maintained.

For instance, if a consumer finds a honeybee in a chicken rice dish, the stall owner will have to show that it was an intentional choice and was from an approved source, and it did not fall into the dish.

To add a new species to the approved list, food importers will have to submit details to the agency to show how the insect was farmed and processed, and provide evidence that it is safe for human consumption.

The species can be sold to the public once these conditions are met.

Additionally, more clarity on regulatory approval will be given to those looking to sell genetically modified food and novel food such as cultivated meat.

Genetically modified food, or food which has had its DNA altered using certain techniques such that its genetic material cannot be produced through traditional breeding and selection techniques, will have to be approved by SFA.

This can include food that has had foreign DNA from viruses, bacteria or animals inserted into it, or food that has been cross-bred, such as by inserting corn DNA into a tomato.

Insects which have had their DNA altered will need approval both as an insect and as a genetically modified food.

Companies selling novel food like cultivated meat will have to reapply for approval with SFA if they change their production methods, or if the product will contain a larger proportion of cultivated meat than what was previously approved.

Like hybrid vehicles, most cultivated meat products are made largely using plant-based components, with only a small proportion from cultivated meat.

For instance, Dutch start-up Meatable, which sells cultivated meat, is looking to produce hybrid pork - which is one-third cultivated meat and two-thirds plant-based protein - for sale in the second quarter of 2024.

Currently, as part of the Novel Food Regulatory Framework, companies producing cultivated meat are required to submit safety assessments to SFA for review before the meat can be approved for sale.

A similar framework applies to those looking to sell genetically modified food. Safety assessments are reviewed by a panel of external experts.

The proposed additions to the Food Safety and Security Bill will provide legal clarity to novel food and genetically modified food companies in Singapore, said the agency.

SFA said it will continue existing initiatives to engage these companies to ensure that their safety assessments are robust and protect consumer health.

The safety framework for novel food, insects and genetically modified food fall under the section known as "defined food and pre-market approval", and is open for public consultation via the Reach portal from March 15 to May 14.