The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) released a statement on Wednesday (Jan. 7) that it will implement the Safety Assurance for Food Establishment (SAFE) framework from Jan. 19.
SFA said the existing ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, or ‘D’ grading system based on annual snapshot assessments will be replaced by the SAFE framework.
Food establishments will be categorised into Category 1 or 2.
Food establishments involved in a significant processing or preparation will be categorised into Category 1. Restaurants & catering services as well as food manufacturing & processing will come under Category 1.
Category 2 are for food establishments where processing or preparation are at lower or moderate levels. This includes retail food shops, mobile food services, food stalls in coffeeshops, eating houses, canteens, food courts and hawker stalls, as well as others such as cold stores, food processing operators and supermarkets.
The food establishments in each category will be further graded into ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C.
The statement said phase 1 will be implemented on Jan. 19 where food establishments with a good track record for more than three years will be graded ‘A’.
To maintain grade ‘A’, food establishments in Category 1 “will need to meet two additional food safety requirements” given “their larger scale of food processing or preparation,” the statement said.
They will need to appoint an Advanced Food Hygiene Officer (AFHO) and implement a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) in Phase 2.
More details of Phase 2 will be announced by 2027, according to the statement. This is “to give Category 1 food establishments time to put in place the additional requirements.”
Those in Category 1 can “fast-track to grade ‘A’ ” if they have a one-year good track record, have appointed an AFHO and have implemented a FSMS, the statement added.
There is no fast-track option for Category 2 food establishments.
Food establishments with a good record of three years and less will be graded ‘B’ while those who have committed major lapse such as court conviction or suspension of licence under the Points Demerit System will be graded ‘C’.
Those with poor food safety track records will attain lower grades and will be subjected to more frequent inspections.
Establishments that have been in operation for less than a year will begin with a “NEW” grade to help consumers differentiate them from operators with established track records.
An estimated 45,000 retail and non-retail SFA-licensed food establishments will come under the new framework.
The SAFE framework strengthens food safety assurance, while helping consumers to make more informed dining choices by referring to SAFE grades and supporting food establishments that prioritise food safety.
“The SAFE framework offers a more effective way to assess food safety performance. By recognising food establishments which consistently maintain high standards, we strengthen food safety across the industry while empowering consumers to make informed choices,” Dr Tan Lee Kim, SFA’s Director-General (Food Administration) and Deputy CEO (Food Safety), said, according to the statement.
“This is the outcome of extensive engagement with industry stakeholders, and SFA will work with food establishments through this transition,” Dr Tan added.
More information on the SAFE framework can be found at go.gov.sg/sfa-safe.
From Jan. 19 onwards, licensees and the public can check SAFE grades by scanning the QR code on the SFA licence displayed at the food establishment, or referring to SFA’s website.
