1. These Regulations may be cited as the Food Regulations.
Definitions
2.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —
“antimicrobial agent” has the meaning given by regulation 32(1);
[S 203/2023 wef 28/04/2023]
“automated beverage dispenser” means a machine that dispenses a non-prepacked beverage that is —
(a)
a customisable beverage, that is, with an option for a prospective consumer of the beverage to customise the amount of any ingredient in the beverage; or
(b)
a non-customisable beverage, that is, without the option described in paragraph (a);
[S 451/2023 wef 30/12/2023]
“consumer-facing automated beverage dispenser” means an automated beverage dispenser that is —
(a)
accompanied by an image or a text listing of what beverage may be dispensed from it; and
(b)
placed in a way that allows a prospective consumer to see the image or text listing, whether or not the prospective consumer is himself or herself allowed to dispense a beverage from the automated beverage dispenser of his or her choice based on the image or text listing;
[S 451/2023 wef 30/12/2023]
“container” includes any form of packaging of food for sale as a single item, whether by way of wholly or partly enclosing the food or by way of attaching the food to some other article and in particular includes a wrapper or confining band;
“date-marking”, in relation to a prepacked food, means a date permanently marked or embossed on the package, or on the label on the package signifying the expiry date of that food;
“expiry date”, in relation to a prepacked food, means the date after which the food, when kept in accordance with any storage conditions set out on the label of that food, may not retain its normal wholesomeness, nature, substance and quality;
“food additive” includes —
(a)
all substances, which are components of food, the intended use of which results or may reasonably be expected to result, directly or indirectly, in their affecting the characteristics of food but does not include any foreign substance mixed with food as a result of contamination, or improper handling of the food during the preparation, processing, packing or storage of the food; and
(b)
anti-caking agents, anti-foaming agents, anti-oxidants, sweetening agents, chemical preservatives, colouring matters, emulsifiers or stabilizers, flavouring agents, flavour enhancers, humectants, nutrient supplements, sequestrants, pathogen reduction treatments and other general purpose food additives;
[S 195/2011 wef 15/04/2011]
[S 606/2022 wef 31/07/2022]
“freshly prepared”, in relation to any Nutri-Grade beverage, means a Nutri-Grade beverage —
(a)
that is prepared by hand —
(i)
at the place or premises where it is sold; or
(ii)
at any place or premises in connection with a sale of the Nutri-Grade beverage online; or
(b)
for which a prospective consumer may customise the amount of at least one ingredient in the Nutri-Grade beverage;
[S 451/2023 wef 30/12/2023]
“infant” means a person not more than 12 months of age;
“Nutri-Grade beverage” has the meaning given by regulation 184A;
[S 993/2021 wef 30/12/2022]
“package” includes every means by which food may be cased, enclosed, contained or packed;
“prepacked” means packed or made up in advance ready for sale in a wrapper or container, and where any food packed or made up in a wrapper or container is found on any premises where such food is packed, kept or stored for sale, the food shall be deemed to be prepacked unless the contrary is proved, and it shall not be sufficient proof of the contrary to show that the food had not been labelled in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations;
“premises” means a building or part thereof and any forecourt, yard or place of storage used in connection with a building or part thereof and includes, in relation to dairies and farms, any land other than building;
[S 493/2013 wef 01/08/2013]
“specified setting”, in relation to the sale of any Nutri-Grade beverage, means —
(a)
the sale of the Nutri-Grade beverage by a retail food business;
(b)
the sale of the Nutri-Grade beverage from an automated beverage dispenser or from a vending machine;
(c)
the supply of the Nutri-Grade beverage under a contract (whether or not the contract is made with the consumer of the Nutri-Grade beverage), together with any accommodation, service or entertainment, in consideration of an inclusive charge for the Nutri-Grade beverage and the accommodation, service or entertainment;
(d)
the supply of the Nutri-Grade beverage (whether or not for consideration) in the course of providing services —
(i)
to patients in hospitals, hospices and other residential care facilities like nursing homes;
(ii)
to children or other individuals in the care or custody of the supplier by virtue of any Act; or
(iii)
to prisoners or inmates in prisons or other places for the detention of individuals under any Act; or
(e)
the supply of the Nutri-Grade beverage as part of providing amenities at a place of work;
[S 451/2023 wef 30/12/2023]
“sugar declaration”, in relation to a topping to a freshly prepared Nutri-Grade beverage, means a declaration of the sugar content of the Nutri-Grade beverage with the topping less the sugar content without the topping, made in accordance with paragraph (3);
[S 451/2023 wef 30/12/2023]
“topping”, in respect of a freshly prepared Nutri-Grade beverage, means caramel syrup, ice cream, pudding, tapioca pearls, whipped cream or any other ingredient added to the Nutri-Grade beverage for decoration or to enhance flavour;
[S 451/2023 wef 30/12/2023]
“total sugar”, in respect of any Nutri-Grade beverage, means any monosaccharide and disaccharide in the Nutri-Grade beverage;
[S 993/2021 wef 30/12/2022]
“trans fatty acids” means the geometrical isomers of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids having non‑conjugated, interrupted by at least one methylene group, carbon‑carbon double bonds in the trans configuration;
[S 424/2020 wef 01/06/2021]
“veterinary drug” has the meaning given by regulation 33(1);
[S 203/2023 wef 28/04/2023]
“young children” means persons who are more than 12 months but not more than 36 months of age.
[S 493/2013 wef 01/08/2013]
(2) In these Regulations, the symbols specified in the first column of the following table shall have the meanings specified in relation to those symbols in the second column of the table:
First column
Second column
Symbol
Meaning
C
degrees in Celsius scale of temperature
cm
centimetres
g
grams
i.u
international units
kcal
kilocalories
kg
kilograms
kj
kilojoules
mcg
micrograms
mg
milligrams
ml
millilitres
mm
millimetres
ppm
parts per million
%
per cent
w/v
weight by volume
w/w
weight by weight
v/v
volume by volume.
(3) For the purpose of the definition of “sugar declaration” in paragraph (1) —
(a)
the Nutri-Grade beverage’s sugar content (with or without a topping) is the grams of total sugar per 100 ml of the Nutri-Grade beverage less the grams of lactose and galactose per 100 ml of the Nutri-Grade beverage; and
(b)
in determining the sugar content —
(i)
subject to sub-paragraph (ii), the grams of total sugar, lactose and galactose per 100 ml of the Nutri-Grade beverage are determined by the information that would have been required to be labelled on the Nutri-Grade beverage’s package under regulation 184C(1) and (2), if the Nutri-Grade beverage were sold as a prepacked beverage that is not freshly prepared; and
(ii)
if the information does not state the grams of lactose or galactose, the grams of lactose or galactose (as the case may be) is taken to be zero grams.