G/SPS/N/SGP/58  
 
10 January 2017  
(17-0158) 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 regi ons or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document: Draft Food (Amendment) Regulations 2017 . 
Language(s): English . Number of pages: 3 
6. Description of content: The Agri -Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) 
has completed a review of the Fo od Regulations and proposes the following 
amendments:  
a) To allow the use of the following new food additives and ingredients:  
i. Beet red (INS 162) and Spirulina extract (INS 134) or cyanobacterial -
phycocyanin (C -PC) extracted from Spirulina platensis , as permi tted colouring 
matters in food under good manufacturing practice ; 
ii. Beta-palmitin, for use in infant formula, at levels not exceeding 80% of the 
total fat content of infant formula ; 
iii. L-theanine, a flavour enhancer, for use in brewed tea, soft drinks, chocolat e, 
chocolate confectionery, and sugar confectioner y, at levels not exceeding 
1,000  ppm; 
iv. Sodium ferrous citrate, a nutrient supplement, for use in food as a source of 
iron; 
v. 219 new enzymes for use in food under good manufacturing practice ; 
b) To extend the use  of the following existing food additives to additional food 
categories:  
i. Propionic aci d (and its sodium, calcium and potassium salts) (INS 280, 281, 
282 and 283) for use in the food categories "Hamburgers and similar 
products", "Meat, canned, cured, pickle d, salted or smoked whether cooked or 
uncooked", and "Sausages, or sausage meat", at levels up to 2 ,500 ppm (as 
propionic acid) ; 
ii. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (INS 220 - 228, 539) will be allowed in herbs 
and spices, at levels up to 150 ppm (calculated as sulphur dioxide), and in all 
types of flour, at levels up to 200 ppm (calculated as sulphur dioxide) ; 
iii. Quillaia extracts (Types I and II) (INS 999(i) and (ii)) for use in alcoholic 
beverages, up to a maximum level of 40 ppm  (calculated as saponins). 
The current maximum permitted level for quillaia extracts in soft drinks will be 
revised to 50 ppm (calculated as saponins);  G/SPS/N/SGP/58  
 
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  iv. Steviol glycosides (INS 960) for use in the following food categories:  
 Food category  Maximum permitted level (ppm ) 
 Dairy -based drin ks (flavoured  200 
 and/or fermented)  
 Sauces, gravies and dressings,  350 (except for soybean sauces,  
 and their mixes  where up to 165 ppm is permitted)  
 Seasoning an d condiments  30 
 (excluding sauces)   
 Confectionery (including har d and  700 
 soft candy,  nougats , and marzipans)  
 Cocoa and chocolate products  550 
 Soybean -based beverages  200 
 Vegetable, nut and seed spreads  330 
i. Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (INS 476) for use as a permitted 
emulsifier/stabiliser in food, under good manufacturing practice ; 
c) To allow th e use of the following new health claim relating to barley beta -glucan for 
food complying with the prescribed criteria for use:  
"Barley beta -glucans have been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol. High blood 
cholesterol is a risk factor in the developme nt of coronary heart disease."  
d) To allow the net quantity of prepacked rice to be declared in grams , or kilograms, 
as appropriate;  
e) To establish a maximum limit of 0.2 ppm for ino rganic arsenic in polished rice;  
f) To revise the maximum limit for lead in infant  formula (as consumed) to 0.01 ppm;  
g) To delete the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for 11 pesticides: captafol, 
carbophenothion, chlordimeform (and its metabolites), crufomate, dioxathion, 
diphenyl, etrimfos, fenchlorphos, fensulpho thion, formothion and mevin phos;  
h) To revise the specific gravity of sesame oil to 0.915 - 0.924 and the iodine value of 
sunflower seed oil to 118 - 141. 
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 standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : Codex General S tandard For Food Additives 
(CODEX STAN 192 -1995), Codex General Standard For Food Additives 
(CODEX  STAN 192 -1995), Codex Standard for Named Vegetable Oils 
(CODEX  STAN 210 -1999)  
[ ] 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 wh y 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) : March 2017  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : March 2017  G/SPS/N/SGP/58  
 
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  11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ]  Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : March 2017  
[X] Trade facilitating measure (approval of use of food additives, ingredients and 
health claim)  
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circu lation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 11 March 2017  
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. Text(s) available from: [ ]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
The proposed regulation is available at the following website:  
http://www.ava.gov.sg/legislation  (select "Sale of Food Act", then click on "Draft Food 
(Amendment) Regulations 2017" ). 
Alternatively, please write in to:  
Regulatory Administration Group  
Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority  
52 Jurong Gateway Road #14-01 
Singapore 608550  
Tel: +(65) 6805 2912  
Fax: +(65) 6334 1831  
E-mail: WTO_Contact@ava.gov.sg  
 adelene_yap@ava.gov.sg