Singapore has a reputation as a food paradise—from local hawker fare to international haute cuisine, there is no shortage of options to tempt anyone’s taste buds. NEA regulates the food retail industry in Singapore to ensure that ready-to-eat food is prepared hygienically and is safe for consumption.
NEA licenses all food retail businesses, such as restaurants, cafes, snack bars, supermarkets, mobile food wagons and food caterers. Application forms for food retail businesses can be downloaded from NEA’s website. In addition, guidelines addressing environmental health concerns in the design of food establishments can be found in the NEA’s Code of Practice on Environmental Health.
Food handlers, who are involved in the preparation and handling of food, such as chefs, cooks, kitchen helpers etc. need to be registered with NEA.
| Grading of Licensed Eating Establishments and Food Stalls |
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Retail food establishments are given a grade by NEA based on the overall hygiene, cleanliness and housekeeping standards of the premises. The Grading System for Eating Establishments and Food Stalls is a structured system of appraisal for food outlets that is meant to motivate licensees to improve and maintain good personal and food hygiene, and housekeeping of their premises. All food retail outlets are required to display the grade indicating their grade, enabling the public to make a more informed choice when patronizing food outlets.
Eating establishments and food stalls are assessed by NEA and given the following grades:
- A – a score of 85% or higher
- B – a score of 70% to 84%
- C – a score of 50% to 69%
- D – a score of less than 50%
To equip foodhandlers and licensees with basic knowledge of good hygiene practices, the NEA has produced a Basic Food Hygiene Booklet that is available in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil.
The point demerit system (PDS) is a systematic and fair approach in dealing with the suspension or revocation of licences.
Under the PDS, demerit points are given for each public health offences that is convicted in court or compounded. Offences are categorised as
- Minor offences – 2 demerit points
- Major offences – 4 demerit points
- Serious offences – 6 demerit points
If a licensee accumulates 12 demerit points or more within 12 months, his licence will either be suspended for 2 weeks or 4 weeks, or be revoked, depending on past suspension records.