G/SPS/N/SGP/48  
 
17 April 2013  
(13-2040)  Page: 1/3  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION 
1. Notifying Member:  SINGAPORE 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) 
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 Proposed Food (Amendment) Regulations 2013  
Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  3  
6. Description of content:  The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has 
completed a review of the Food Regulation s and proposes the following amendments: 
a. To allow the use of the following new food additives: 
i. Arabinogalactan (larch gum) as an emulsifier and stabiliser (under the 
Sixth Schedule). 
ii. Alpha-amylase (from Bacillus subtilis) as a processing aid (under the 
Eighth Schedule). 
iii. Aminopeptidase (from Aspergillus oryzae) as a processing aid (under the 
Eighth Schedule). 
iv. Cellulase (from Trichoderma longibrachiatum) as a processing aid (under 
the Eighth Schedule).  
v. Glucoamylase (or amyloglucosidase from Aspergillus niger) as a processing 
aid (under the Eighth Schedule). 
vi.  Glycerophospholipid cholesterol acyltransferase (from a genetically 
modified strain of Bacillus licheniformis, as a processing aid (under the 
Eighth Schedule). 
vii. Hemicellulase (endo-1,4-â-xylanase from a genetically modified strain of 
Bacillus subtilis) as a processing aid (under the Eighth Schedule). 
viii. Hemicellulase (endo-1,4-â-xylanase from a genetically modified strain of 
Aspergillus niger) as a processing aid (under the Eighth Schedule). 
ix. Hexose oxidase (from a genetically modified strain of Hansenula 
polymorpha) as a processing aid (under the Eighth Schedule). G/SPS/N/SGP/48 
 
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  b. Clarification of use categories for the chemical preservative dimethyl 
dicarbonate: 
Dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC) is currently permitted to be added to "non-
alcoholic drinks" up to the maximum level of 250ppm (under the Fourth 
Schedule of the Food Regulations). Howe ver, the food category "non-alcoholic 
drinks" is not well defined, and may overlap with various food categories in the 
Fourth Schedule such as "soft drinks for consumption without dilution (other 
than fruit drink or fruit crush)", and "fruit drink and fruit crush".  
AVA proposes to amend the Regulations to  clearly define th e food categories 
which may be added with DMDC and th e maximum permitted use levels, as 
follows: 
Selected Foods Maximum amount of dimethyl 
dicarbonate  
in parts per million (ppm)* 
Water-based flavoured drinks, including "sport", "energy", or "electrolyte" drinks and particulated 
drinks 250 
Ready-to-drink coffee, coffee 
substitutes, tea, herbal infusions, 
and other hot cereal and grain beverages (excluding cocoa) 250 
Cider and perry 250 
Grape wines 200 
Wines (other than grape) 250 
Mead 200 
* Added level; residue of dimethyl dicarbonate not detected in  
the ready-to-eat food. 
 
c. To specify maximum limits for the following incidental constituents: 
i. Aflatoxin B1, up to 0.1 ppb in food for infants and young children. 
ii. Aflatoxin M1, up to 0.025 ppb in infant formula (calculated on the 
reconstituted ready-to-consume product). 
iii. Patulin, up to 10 ppb in food (other than processed cereal-based food) for 
infants and young children. 
iv. Melamine, up to 1 ppm in powdered infant formula; up to 0.15 ppm in 
liquid infant formula (as consumed), up to 2.5 ppm in any other foods. 
d. To allow the use of polydextrose in infa nt formula, up to a maximum permitted 
level of 0.2 g per 100 ml.  
e. To make editorial amendments to the format for the nutrition information 
panel (NIP) (under the Twelfth Schedule) 
Presently, the NIP format under the Twelfth Schedule requires that the units 
for nutrients (other than energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate) are to be declared in "g", and further specifies that sodium, potassium and cholesterol 
are to be declared in "mg". This may give the erroneous impression that the 
units for vitamins and minerals (as well as any other nutrient) are to be declared in "g". Some vitamins and minerals are added in microgram (mcg) 
quantities, while other vitamins and minerals are added in milligram (mg) 
quantities. In addition, there are other forms of measurements which are commonly used for certain vitamins, such as "I.U" (International Units), and the present NIP format does not reflect such forms of declaration.  G/SPS/N/SGP/48 
 
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  It is proposed to amend the Twelfth Schedule to specify that the nutrients are 
to be declared either in mcg, mg, g or other units of measurement, as appropriate. This will better address the forms of measurement currently 
employed by the industry.  
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.    
8. Is there a relevant international st andard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or seri al number of Codex 
standard or related text)   
[ ] 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 standard?   
 [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:  None   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  1 August 2013 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  1 August 2013 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) :  1 August 2013 
[X] Trade facilitating measure (approval of use of new food additives and 
ingredients.)  
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  16 June 2013 
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:    
13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
The proposed regulations will be made available at the following website: 
http://www.ava.gov.sg/Legisla tion/ListOfLegislation/  
Alternatively, please write in to: 
Regulatory Programmes Department 
Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority 5 Maxwell Road #18-00 Tower Block MND Complex 
Singapore 069110 
Tel.:  +(65) 6325 1226 Fax.:  +(65) 6220 6068 E-mail:  adelene_yap@ava.gov.sg