Straits Times 17 Sep 13;
THE Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has in place an integrated and comprehensive food safety system based on science and risk analysis ("How safe is Pacific Ocean seafood?" by Mr Michael Loh; last Tuesday).
All food imports have to comply with our safety standards and requirements. They are subjected to regular inspections and sampling to test for a wide range of hazards known to be associated with food.
For example, wild-caught seafood products are routinely tested for a wide range of food-borne hazards such as heavy metals and radioactive contaminants.
As for the recent developments in Fukushima that Mr Loh highlighted, food products from the prefecture remain suspended.
Products such as fruits and vegetables, seafood, meat, milk and milk products imported from other prefectures are subjected to the AVA's sampling and testing to ensure they are not contaminated with radiation.
Any contaminated product will not be allowed for import into Singapore.
We have also been working closely with the Japanese authorities to ensure that only food products that are free from radionuclide contamination are allowed for export to Singapore, and that the source of the food products is traceable. For example, food products must be accompanied by a certificate of origin to identify the prefecture of origin.
The AVA is committed to ensuring that all food imported into Singapore is safe.
We reassure consumers that all seafood imports available in the Singapore market are safe for consumption, and we will continue to monitor the development and situation in Japan.
Yap Him Hoo (Dr)
Group Director, Quarantine and Inspection Group
For Chief Executive Officer
Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority
How safe is Pacific Ocean seafood?
Straits Times Forum 10 Sep 13;
RECENTLY, there has been news about how the Japanese are having difficulty preventing the radiation leak at Fukushima from entering the sea ("Seoul ban on fish from Japan"; last Saturday).
I have also read online articles of Pacific Ocean seafood being found with mild to hazardous levels of radiation. Though I am uncertain about the scientific basis of these articles, I am getting concerned.
What is the allowable level of radioactivity in seafood? Does imported seafood from the Pacific Ocean get checked for radiation?
Can the relevant authorities comment on this?
Michael Loh
