AVA - AGRI-FOOD & VETERINARY

The core functions are:

Ensuring food safetyAVA is the national authority on food safety for both primary and processed food. AVA ensures the safety of all food from production to just before retail. AVA adopts a science-based risk analysis and management approach based on international standards to evaluate and ensure food safety.

The vital components of AVA’s comprehensive and integrated food safety system include:

-Review of production systems and practices at source

-Risk assessment and the setting of food safety and food labeling standards

-Tagging of consignments of primary produce to trace sources, and food labeling to facilitate recall

-Inspection of primary produce and processed food at the points of entry into Singapore

-Pre and post-slaughter inspections at local abattoirs

-Inspection and accreditation of source farms, abattoirs, food-processing factories, both local and overseas

-Monitoring and surveillance programmes for a wide range of food-borne hazards in primary and processed food

-State-of-the art laboratory testing capabilities for detecting and analyzing a wide range of pathogens and chemical contaminants in livestock, frozen and chilled meat, live and chilled fish, vegetables, fruits, eggs and processed food

-Promoting the adoption of good agricultural and manufacturing practices, and food safety assurance systems by the food industry

-Close rapport with other national authorities

-Close monitoring of world situation for new developments in food safety and potential threats

This food safety system is backed up by enforcement of food safety standards through a well-established legal framework as well as through food safety public education on the collective responsibility of AVA, the food industry and the public in ensuring food safety.

Ensuring resilience in food supplyAVA strives to provide Singapore with an adequate and stable supply of food. We achieve this by diversifying the sources of supply to Singapore through efforts in the following areas:

-Approving new sources for importation of food by the private sector

-Participating in trade missions to seek out new sources

-Collaborating with the private sector, such as through AVA's agri-food Business Clusters in food sourcing

AVA's food diversification strategy allows Singapore to have resilience in supply. It gives us increased flexibility and adaptability when supply from a particular source falls short. Coupled with Singapore's open market, source diversification has helped to maintain stability in the prices of our food.

Reference: http://www.ava.gov.sg/Legislation/ListOfLegislation/