Food manufacturers mull measures to curb wastage

Lim Wee Leng Channel NewsAsia 25 Apr 14;

SINGAPORE: In a bid to reduce food waste, the Singapore Food Manufacturers' Association (SFMA) is looking at developing a set of food standards with Singapore Standards Council.

These will look at the complete food process -- from production in the factory, to transportation to supermarket shelves, and what happens to food when near expiry dates.

Under current practice, when food is very close to expiring, the retailer will exchange the packages with the manufacturer.

The amount of food waste in Singapore has increased by 31 per cent over the last five years.

In 2013 alone, it amounted to 796,000 tonnes, which works out to almost 147 kilogrammes per person.

Wong Mong Hong, immediate past president of SFMA, said: "One of the important things we would like to introduce is try to set a date well before the expiry of the product..."

These standards are likely to take two to three years to be in place.

- CNA/xq