G/SPS/N/SGP /59/Add.1  
 
22 November 2018  
(18-7341) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
Addendum  
The following communication, received on 13 November 2018 , is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Singapore . 
 
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Food Regulations - Ready -to-eat food  
Singapore would like to notify WTO Members of the following changes to the proposed measures 
(previously notified via G/SPS/N/SGP/59)1, taking into consideration feedback and comments 
received from stakeholders and interested parties:  
1. to delete the existing regulation 35 of the Food Regulations and substi tute with the following 
new regulation 35:  
35 -(1) Ready -to-eat food shall comply with the microbiological standard specified in Parts I 
and II of the Eleventh Schedule.  
(2) In these Regulations, "ready -to-eat food" means food that is made available for sale for 
direct human consumption without the need for cooking or any other form of processing to 
eliminate, or reduce to the standards specified in the Eleventh Schedule, any pathogenic or 
other micro -organisms of concern in food; and includes concentrate d food (e.g. beverages, 
cup noodles and fruit juice cordials, squashes and syrups) which have to be reconstituted or 
diluted with fluids before consumption, chilled or frozen cooked products (e.g. chicken wings, 
pizza and instant meal) which may be re -heated before consumption.  
2. to delete the existing Eleventh Schedule and substitut e with a new Eleventh Schedule:  
ELEVENTH SCHEDULE  
MICROBIOLOGICAL STANDARD FOR FOOD  
Part I: Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia coli  
Type of Food  Enterobacteriaceae count  Escherich ia coli count  
 Colony forming unit/ gram  Colony forming unit/ gram  
 (cfu/g)  (cfu/g)  
Milk powder (including full - <104 <102 
cream, half cream, skimmed  
milk and infant formula),  
buttermilk powder,  
pasteurized milk and ice cream  
All other ready -to-eat food  <104 <102 
                                               
1 On 4 September 2018, the Agri -Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore notified the WTO 
SPS Committee of its intention to amend the regulations for microbiological standard for food via 
G/SPS/N/SGP/59. At the close of the notification period, Sing apore received a number of comments. The 
summary of comments received, together with Singapore's response, can be downloaded from the following 
portal:  
https://www.reach.gov.sg/participate/public -consultation/agrifood -veterinary -authority -of-
singapore/regulatory -programmes/propose d-amendments -to-the-food-regulations -regarding -microbiological -
standards -for-rte-food. G/SPS/N/SGP/59/Add.1  
 
- 2 - 
 
  Part II: Pathogens  
Pathogens  Colony forming unit /gram  
 (cfu/g)  
Coagulase -positive Staphylococcus aureus  <102 
Bacillus cereus  <2.0 X 102 
Clostridium perfringens  <102 
Vibrio parahaemolyticus  <102 in raw ready -to-eat seafood only  
Pathogens other t han the ones listed in the table above, whether or not commonly associated with 
the ready -to-eat food, should not be detected in 25 grams of the ready -to-eat food.  
This addendum concerns a:  
[ ] Modification of final date for comments  
[ ] Notification of  adoption, publication or entry into force of regulation  
[X] Modification of content and/or scope of previously notified draft regulation  
[ ] Withdrawal of proposed regulation  
[ ] Change in proposed date of adoption, publication or date of entry into fo rce 
[ ] Other:  
Comment period: (If the addendum extends the scope of the previously notified measure 
in terms of products and/or potentially affected Members, a new deadline for receipt of 
comments should be provided, normally of at least 60 calendar da ys. Under other 
circumstances, such as extension of originally announced final date for comments, the 
comment period provided in the addendum may vary.)  
[ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the addendum to the notification and/or 
(dd/mm/yy) : 30 days from the date of notification of this addendum.  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification Authority, 
[ ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other 
body:  
Regulatory Admin istration Group Agri -Food and Veterinary Authority  
52 Jurong Gateway Road #14 -01 Singapore 608550  
Fax: +(65) 6334 1831  
E-mail: WTO_Contact@ava.gov.sg   
Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. 
Address, fax  number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:  
The public consultation document and proposed regulations are being drafted, and will be posted at 
the following website as soon as they are available: http://www.ava.gov.sg/legislation  (select "Sale 
of Food Act").   
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