G/SPS/N/SGP/64  
 
7 April 2020  
(20-2766) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  SINGAPORE  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Singapore Food Agency (SFA)  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Food 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Draft Food (Amendment No. X) Regulations 2020 . 
Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  8 
6. Description of content:  The SFA has completed a review of the Food Regulations and 
proposes the following amendments:  
a) To allow the use of new food additives:  
i. The following new types of steviol glycosides as permitted sweetening agents. 
These will be accorded the same provisions  currently allowed for steviol 
glycosides extracted from stevia leaves ( Stevia rebaudiana  Bertoni) in the 
Thirteenth Schedule of the Food Regulations:  
− Rebaudioside A from multiple gene donors expressed in Yarrowia lipolytica   
− Rebaudioside M produced by enzymatic modification of Rebaudioside A 
extracted from Stevia leaf, using the enzymes UDP -glucosyltransferase 
(EC 2.4.1.17) and sucrose synthase (EC 2.4.1.13), produced by genetically 
modified strains of Escherichia coli  K-12 W311  
− Rebaudiosid e M produced by enzymatic conversion of purified Stevia leaf 
extract, using the enzymes UDP -glucosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.17) and 
sucrose synthase (EC 2.4.1.13), produced by genetically modified strains of 
Pichia pastoris   
ii. Soy leghemoglobin derived from ge netically modified Pichia pastoris  for use 
in meat analogues, up to a level of 0.45% (w/w)  
iii. Lutein esters from Tagetes erecta  (INS 161b(iii)) as a permitted colouring 
matter, for use in food under good manufacturing practice  
iv. Ferrous bisglycinate as a perm itted form of iron for addition to food  
v. Sorbitol syrup (INS 420(ii)) for use in food under good manufacturing 
practice  
vi. The following new enzyme for use in food under good manufacturing 
practice:  
Enzyme  EC Number  Production organism  Donor organism  Donor g ene 
Alpha,  3.2.1.28  Trichoderma longibrachiatum  Trichoderma longibrachiatum  Alpha   
alpha -trehalase  alpha -trehalase   
 G/SPS/N/SGP/64  
 
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  b) To extend the use of existing food additives:  
i. A total of nine new provisions for rosemary extract (INS 392) (italicised and 
underlined in the table below) to be included in the Third Schedule of the Food 
Regulations. In connection with the amendments, all provisions for rosemary 
extract (both new and existing) will be consolidated into a new table in the Third 
Schedule:  
Specified Food  Parts per million (expressed as sum of carnosol and carnosic acid)  
(a)   Dehydrated meat  150 
(b)   Dried sausages  100 
(c)   Edible vegetable oils and fats, excluding olive oil  50 
(d)   Fish oil and algal oil  50 
(e)   Lard, beef fat, poultry fat, sheep fat and porcine fat  50 
(f)   Processed meat other than dried sausages :  
       (i) with a fat content of  10% or less  15(on a fat or oil basis)  
       (ii) with a fat content of more than 10%  150(on a fat or oil basis)  
(g)   Processed nuts, including coated nuts and nut mixtures  200(on a fat or oil basis ) 
(h)   Sauces, gravies and dressings, and their mixes  100(on a fat or oil basis )  
(i)   Snacks - potato, cereal, flour or starch based   50(on a fat or oil basis)  
(from roots and tubers, pulses and legumes ) 
(j)   Vegetable, nut and seed spreads  200(on a fat or oil basis)  
ii. (ii) Benzoates (referring to benzoic acid and its sodium and potassium salts 
(INS 210, 211 and 212)) and sorbates (sorbic acid and its sodium, potassium 
and calcium salts (INS 200, 201, 202 and 203)), for use in non -fruit fillings, at 
levels up to 1500 ppm and 1000 ppm respectively, when either benzoates or 
sorbates are used as the sole pres ervative. In connection with this new 
provision, the existing food category name of "Decorations, icings and frostings" 
in the Fourth Schedule will be amended to "Decorations (icings and frostings), 
non-fruit fillings and toppings, and sweet sauces".  
iii. (iii) Revision of the maximum permitted levels for acesulfame potassium 
(INS 950) and sucralose (INS 955) in various types of confectionery:  
Acesulfame -K Sucralose  
Hard candy  500 1800 
(except for microsweets and breath -freshening mints,  (except for microsweets and breath -freshening mints,  
where up to 2500 ppm is permitted)  where up to 2500 ppm is permitted)  
Nougats and marzipans  1000 1800 
Soft candy  1000 1800 
(except for microsweets and breath -freshening mints,  (except for microsweets and breath -freshening mints,  
where up to 2000 ppm is permitted)  where up to 3000 ppm is permitted)  
c) Revision of the standard for butter in Regulation 116, with respect to the product 
definition, raw materials, permitted ingredients and composition, to be in lin e with 
the Codex Standard for Butter (CODEX STAN 279 -1971).  
d) Amendment to the name of an existing food additive, from "Hydrogenated glucose 
syrup (maltitol and maltitol -based products)", to "Maltitol" and "Maltitol syrup 
(hydrogenated glucose syrup)". (e) D eletion of Regulation 204(2) which specifies the 
geographical origin of Scotch Whisky  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   G/SPS/N/SGP/64  
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : 
− Codex General Standard for Food Additives (CODEX STAN 192 -1995);  
− Codex Advisory List of Amino Acids for use in Foods for Special Dietary Uses 
Intended for Infants and Young Children (CAC/GL 10 -1979);  
− Codex Standard for Butter (CODEX STAN 279 -1971)  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international st andard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
Food Regulations: https://sso.agc.gov.sg/SL/SFA1973 -RG1  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : Second half of 2020.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : Same day as the adoption of the 
measure.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : Same day as the adoption of the measure; following adoption of 
the new amendments, a 12 -month grace period will be given for food businesses to sell 
food products that were part of the existing stock -in-trade, provided such food products 
are in compliance with the previous standard, had it not been amended by the new 
measure  
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 5 June 2020  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   G/SPS/N/SGP/64  
 
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  13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
The public consultation document and proposed regulations will be made available at the 
following website:  
http://www.sfa.gov.sg/legislation  
(select "Sale of Food Act", then click on "Consultation on Draft Food (Amendment No. X) 
Regulations  2020" and "Draft Food (Amendment No. X) Regulations 2020)"  
Alternatively, please write in to:  
Food Regulatory Management Division  
Regulatory Standards Department  
Singapore Food Agency  
52 Jurong Gateway Road #14 -01 
Singapore 608550  
Tel: +(65) 6805 2912  
Fax: +(65) 6334 1831  
E-mail: WTO_Contact@sfa.gov.sg   
adelene_yap@sfa.gov.sg