Fake Food Imports Detected

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many cases of fake food imported from overseas have been detected by AVA over the past three years; (b) what is the breakdown of the country of origin in these cases; and (c) what action has been taken against the suppliers.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has not detected any cases of fake food products in Singapore to date. Fake food is defined as food that is made from ingredients that are not edible and can be hazardous when consumed.

The Government places great importance in ensuring that our food is safe. In addition to sampling food imports for safety tests, AVA also conducts checks to ensure that food is accurately labelled. From 2014 to 2016, AVA took enforcement action against 26 cases of mislabelling of food products, including honey, black moss and chia seeds. The traders involved were warned or fined and required to correct the labels.

The maximum penalty for importing fake food or mislabelling food products is a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or both.