Import Requirements for Food & Food Products

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Step 1: Import only from approved sources

Meat and meat products must only be imported from SFA-approved sources.

SFA-approved sources and SFA-accredited overseas establishments change from time to time. Always use the Accreditation Database for Overseas Sources to check the approved sources and establishments before you import any consignment. If your establishment is not listed in the database, please refer to Overseas Accreditation of Food & Food Products - Meat & Meat Products.
In addition, always check the latest circulars before you import any consignment. SFA will issue a circular if there are changes to the approved sources (e.g. removed, added or suspended).

Step 2: Obtain the required health certificates from your supplier

Each import consignment must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the Competent Authority of the exporting country or region. This certifies that your imports comply with Singapore's animal health and food safety requirements.

Obtain the relevant health certificates of the meat and meat products you intend to import from your supplier or exporter.

For information on the retrieval of electronic sanitary certificate (eSPS) for Australia and New Zealand, see eSPS Certificate.

Submit the health certificate for each consignment in the format agreed by SFA and the overseas authorities. You can contact SFA or the overseas authority to check if the health certificate for your imports is in the agreed format.

Step 3: Ensure food labels are accurate and complete

Every carton and basic packaging unit of your imported meat or meat product must be labelled with the following: 

description of the meat product 
country/region of origin of the meat product 
brand name of the meat product (if any) 
name and designation number of the processing establishment (if applicable) 
date that the meat product was processed. The labels of all processed meat products must include the name and designation number of the slaughterhouse that had supplied the meat used in the meat product, and the date of the slaughter.
name and designation number of the establishment that packed the meat product and the date of packing
batch number, location and canning code of the canned meat product 
net weight of the meat product in each basic packaging and outer carton

You must inform your supplier or exporter to comply with the SFA's labelling requirements.

For more details, see Labelling Requirements for Food.

Eggs and Egg Products

Contents in this page

What food or food products must meet the import requirements for Eggs & Egg Products?

Food or food products classified as ‘Eggs & Egg Products’ such as shell eggs, salted eggs, liquid eggs, and omelettes must meet the import requirements imposed on this category of food or food products.

To check if your food or food product falls under ‘Eggs & Egg Products’, use the Food and Related Products Classification Tool. To learn more about the different categories of food and food products, see the Classification of General Food & Food Products.

When should I comply with these requirements for Eggs & Egg Products?

You must comply with these requirements before you apply for an import permit to bring Eggs & Egg Products into Singapore.

Non-compliance can result in penalties under the prevailing food safety laws and regulations.

How do I comply with the import requirements for Eggs & Egg Products?

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Step 1: Import only from approved sources

Shell eggs: Shell eggs may only be imported from approved sources, and each consignment must be derived from a single farm.

Egg products / processed eggs: Processed eggs may only be imported from SFA-approved sources.

SFA-approved sources and SFA-accredited overseas establishments change from time to time. Always use the Accreditation Database for Overseas Sources to check the approved sources and establishments each time you import a consignment. If your establishment is not listed in the database, please refer to Overseas Accreditation of Food & Food Products - Shell Eggs / Processed Eggs.
In addition, always check the latest circulars before you import. SFA will issued a circular when approved sources are changed (e.g. removed, added or suspended).

Step 2: Obtain the required health certificates from your supplier

If your products meet SFA’s veterinary conditions, please obtain the required health certificates from your supplier.

For information on the retrieval of electronic sanitary certificate (eSPS) for the import or export of meat and meat products to or from Australia, see eSPS Certificate.

Submit the health certificate for each consignment in the format agreed by SFA and the overseas authorities. You can contact SFA or the overseas authority to check if the health certificate for your imports is in the agreed format.

Step 3: Ensure food labels are accurate and complete

Shell eggs and pasteurised shell eggs: Please ensure that the labelling requirements for shell eggs and pasteurised shell eggs are compliant with the veterinary conditions.

Please refer to the following for SFA’s veterinary conditions:

Processed eggs: Your supplier must comply with the labelling requirements for processed eggs. For more information, please see Labelling Requirements for Food.

Insects & Insect Products

Guidelines to Import Insects & Insect Products

SFA’s priority is to ensure the safety of food consumed in Singapore. As the insect industry is nascent and insects are a new food item here, SFA has developed the insect regulatory framework, which puts in place guidelines for insects to be approved as food.

For imports of insects and insect products for human consumption, importers should register with SFA for the Registration to import processed food and food appliances. Insects and insect products may be imported from any country or region as long as the imported insect and insect products meet SFA’s guidelines.

The following guidelines will apply to the import of insects and insect products, depending on their intended purpose (i.e. production for human consumption or animal feed for food-producing animals).

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A. For all import of insects and insect products for human consumption

S/N	Import Guidelines
1	Submission of the following documents (one-time submission) from importer for SFA’s consideration: Documentary proof that products are manufactured in premises regulated by Competent Authority; and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)/ Food Safety Management System (FSMS) plan showing that products are manufactured in establishments which have in place production and post-harvest processes to identify the hazard(s) and the control measures.
2	Submission of Health certificate for every consignment to certify that: Insects are not harvested from the wild; Manure, decomposing organic material and materials originating from diseased animals or fish are not used as feeding substrates. (Decomposing state is identified by putrid odours, mushy/slimy, or with visible moulad or bacteria growth. Substrates which have undergone controlled fermentation are permitted); No materials of ruminant origin are used as feeding substrate, except for deboned meat cuts and dairy (e.g. milk and cheese) products; and The products have been handled and packed in a hygienic manner and are free from contaminants.
3	The insects imported should only be those listed in the Food Safety and Security (Catalogued Insect-like Species) Order 2025. Declaration of insect species imported is required as part of cargo clearance permit approval. Insects which are not in this list should undergo evaluation to ensure that the insect species are safe to consume. SFA requires the following information for the assessment of new insect species: Scientific name of insect and intended life stage of consumption Details of the farming and processing method, including the type of substrate (i.e. material used for feeding insects) Evidence of history of use as a food in a country other than Singapore Information relied on to establish that the species and life stage is safe for consumption (e.g. scientific literature, laboratory reports) Singapore address or entity of applicant

S/N

Import Guidelines

Submission of the following documents (one-time submission) from importer for SFA’s consideration:

Documentary proof that products are manufactured in premises regulated by Competent Authority; and
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)/ Food Safety Management System (FSMS) plan showing that products are manufactured in establishments which have in place production and post-harvest processes to identify the hazard(s) and the control measures.

Submission of Health certificate for every consignment to certify that:

Insects are not harvested from the wild;
Manure, decomposing organic material and materials originating from diseased animals or fish are not used as feeding substrates. (Decomposing state is identified by putrid odours, mushy/slimy, or with visible moulad or bacteria growth. Substrates which have undergone controlled fermentation are permitted);
No materials of ruminant origin are used as feeding substrate, except for deboned meat cuts and dairy (e.g. milk and cheese) products; and
The products have been handled and packed in a hygienic manner and are free from contaminants.

The insects imported should only be those listed in the Food Safety and Security (Catalogued Insect-like Species) Order 2025.

Declaration of insect species imported is required as part of cargo clearance permit approval. Insects which are not in this list should undergo evaluation to ensure that the insect species are safe to consume.

SFA requires the following information for the assessment of new insect species:

Scientific name of insect and intended life stage of consumption
Details of the farming and processing method, including the type of substrate (i.e. material used for feeding insects)
Evidence of history of use as a food in a country other than Singapore
Information relied on to establish that the species and life stage is safe for consumption (e.g. scientific literature, laboratory reports)
Singapore address or entity of applicant

B. For all import of insects and insect products as animal feed

S/N	Import Guidelines
1	Submission of the following documents (one-time submission) from importer for SFA’s consideration: Documentary proof that products are manufactured in premises regulated by Competent Authority; and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)/ Food Safety Management System (FSMS) plan showing that products are manufactured in establishments which have in place production and post-harvest processes to identify the hazard(s) and the control measures.
2	Submission of Health certificate for every consignment to certify that: Insects are not harvested from the wild; Manure, decomposing organic material and materials originating from diseased animals or fish are not used as feeding substrates. (Decomposing state is identified by putrid odours, mushy/slimy, or with visible moulad or bacteria growth. Substrates which have undergone controlled fermentation are permitted); No materials of ruminant origin are used as feeding substrate, except for deboned meat cuts and dairy (e.g. milk and cheese) products; and The products have been handled and packed in a hygienic manner and are free from contaminants.

S/N

Import Guidelines

Submission of the following documents (one-time submission) from importer for SFA’s consideration:

Documentary proof that products are manufactured in premises regulated by Competent Authority; and
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)/ Food Safety Management System (FSMS) plan showing that products are manufactured in establishments which have in place production and post-harvest processes to identify the hazard(s) and the control measures.

Submission of Health certificate for every consignment to certify that:

Insects are not harvested from the wild;
Manure, decomposing organic material and materials originating from diseased animals or fish are not used as feeding substrates. (Decomposing state is identified by putrid odours, mushy/slimy, or with visible moulad or bacteria growth. Substrates which have undergone controlled fermentation are permitted);
No materials of ruminant origin are used as feeding substrate, except for deboned meat cuts and dairy (e.g. milk and cheese) products; and
The products have been handled and packed in a hygienic manner and are free from contaminants.

C. For all imports of live insects for local production (for human consumption)

S/N	Import Guidelines
1	Have fulfilled and obtained approval from the National Parks Board (NParks) on requirements for the import conditions for insects and other invertebrates.
2	Submission of the following documents (one-time submission) from importer for SFA’s consideration: Documentary proof that insects are farmed in premises regulated by Competent Authority.
3	Submission of Health certificate for every consignment to certify that: Insects are not harvested from the wild; Manure, decomposing organic material and materials originating from diseased animals or fish are not used as feeding substrates. (Decomposing state is identified by putrid odours, mushy/slimy, or with visible mould or bacteria growth. Substrates which have undergone controlled fermentation are permitted); No materials of ruminant origin are used as feeding substrate, except for deboned meat cuts and dairy (e.g. milk and cheese) products.
4	The insects imported should only be those listed in the Food Safety and Security (Catalogued Insect-like Species) Order 2025. Declaration of insect species imported is required as part of cargo clearance permit approval. Insects which are not in this list should undergo evaluation to ensure that the insect species are safe to consume. SFA requires the following information for the assessment of new insect species: Scientific name of insect and intended life stage of consumption Details of the farming and processing method, including the type of substrate (i.e. material used for feeding insects) Evidence of history of use as a food in a country other than Singapore Information relied on to establish that the species and life stage is safe for consumption (e.g. scientific literature, laboratory reports) Singapore address or entity of applicant

D. For all imports of live insects for local production as animal feed

S/N

Import Guidelines

Have fulfilled and obtained approval from the National Parks Board (NParks) on requirements for the import conditions for insects and other invertebrates.

Submission of the following documents (one-time submission) from importer for SFA’s consideration:

Documentary proof that insects are farmed in premises regulated by Competent Authority.

Submission of health certificate for every consignment to certify that:

Insects are not harvested from the wild;
Manure, decomposing organic material and materials originating from diseased animals or fish are not used as feeding substrates. (Decomposing state is identified by putrid odours, mushy/slimy, or with visible mould or bacteria growth. Substrates which have undergone controlled fermentation are permitted);
No materials of ruminant origin are used as feeding substrate, except for deboned meat cuts and dairy (e.g. milk and cheese) products.

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Step 1: Check if your products are classified as ‘high-risk’

There are import requirements imposed for Fish & Fish Products that are considered 'high-risk'.

Use the table below to determine if your food or food products are classified as ‘high-risk’. The table also shows the import requirements corresponding to each high-risk item.

High-Risk Product	Requirements
Chilled-shucked raw oysters Chilled cockle meat Chilled cooked prawn/shrimp Chilled crab meat	Import is not allowed
Live cockles	Only food processing establishments that are licensed by SFA to shuck cockles are allowed to import live cockles.
Live oysters	Import of live oysters is only allowed from the following countries or regions which meet SFA’s requirements for a shellfish sanitation programme: Australia Canada France Ireland Japan (Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Mie, Miyagi, Oita, Tokushima, Iwate, and Shimane Prefectures) The Netherlands New Zealand United Kingdom USA Each import consignment must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the relevant authority of the exporting country or region.
Frozen oysters Frozen blood cockle meat Frozen cooked prawns Frozen raw/cooked crab meat	Each import consignment must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the relevant authority of the exporting country or region. For frozen oysters, the health certificate must certify and state that the consignment has been tested and found to be ‘free of norovirus’.
Frozen pearl oyster meat (adductor muscle)	You can import from any country or region if you: Have documentary proof to verify that the pearl oyster meat products meet the following requirements: The pearl oyster meat products are harvested and processed by an establishment regulated by the Competent Authority in the exporting country or region. The pearl oyster meat products are processed under hygienic and sanitary conditions. The pearl oyster meat products meet the Singapore Food Regulations. Maintain proper documentation records of the documentary proof. SFA may request to see them as part of inspection checks. For more details, please refer to this trade circular on import requirements for pearl oyster meat.
Pufferfish (wild and farmed pufferfish muscle meat and farmed pufferfish parts i.e. fins, skin, and milt only)	You can only import wild and farmed pufferfish muscle meat and farmed pufferfish parts (fins, skin, and milt) from SFA-accredited pufferfish establishments approved for export to Singapore. Each import consignment must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the relevant authority of the exporting country or region. For more details, please see Overseas Accreditation of Food & Food Products - Fish & Fish Products.
Seafood from Fiji, Chile and Mexico	Fiji Only sharkfin and sea cucumber are allowed for import. Other seafood is not allowed.
Seafood from Fiji, Chile and Mexico	Chile and Mexico Each import consignment must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the relevant authority of the exporting country or region. The health certificate must certify and state that products are ‘free from marine biotoxins’.

Step 2: Check if your products fall under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

Permits are required for importing fish species under CITES Appendix II and Appendix III. This applies to whole fish, fish parts, and fish derivatives.

The table below shows some examples of CITES species. Please use Species+ to check if your food or product fall under CITES by entering the scientific name of the animal/fish. The table also shows the corresponding import requirements. 

You may write to CITES@nparks.gov.sg for enquiries on CITES matters.

CITES	Requirements
CITES Appendix II     Sturgeon (Acipenseriformes species)   Whale shark (Rhincodon typus)     Basking Shark (Cetorhinus Maximus)    Seahorses (Hippocampus species)    All Thresher sharks (Alopias species)    Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)    Mediterranean date mussel (Lithophaga lithophaga)    Mackerel sharks (Carcharodon carcharias, Isurus oxyrinchus, Isurus paucus, Lamna nasus)    All Hammerhead sharks (Sphyrnidae species)    All Requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae species)    Sea cucumbers (Thelenota species)    Teatfishes (Holothuria fuscogilva, Holothuria nobilis and Holothuria whitmaei)    Mobuild rays (Manta spp.)    European eel (Anguilla anguilla)       CITES Appendix III       "Rock Sea Cucumber" (Isostichopus fuscus) from Ecuador	For each import consignment, you must obtain all the following permits:   a CITES import permit from NParks   a CITES export/re-export permit from country or region of export

CITES

Requirements

CITES Appendix II

Sturgeon (Acipenseriformes species)
Whale shark (Rhincodon typus)  
Basking Shark (Cetorhinus Maximus) 
Seahorses (Hippocampus species) 
All Thresher sharks (Alopias species) 
Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) 
Mediterranean date mussel (Lithophaga lithophaga) 
Mackerel sharks (Carcharodon carcharias, Isurus oxyrinchus, Isurus paucus, Lamna nasus) 
All Hammerhead sharks (Sphyrnidae species) 
All Requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae species) 
Sea cucumbers (Thelenota species) 
Teatfishes (Holothuria fuscogilva, Holothuria nobilis and Holothuria whitmaei) 
Mobuild rays (Manta spp.) 
European eel (Anguilla anguilla)

CITES Appendix III

"Rock Sea Cucumber" (Isostichopus fuscus) from Ecuador

For each import consignment, you must obtain all the following permits:
 

a CITES import permit from NParks

a CITES export/re-export permit from country or region of export

Step 3: Comply with the import requirements for ‘high-risk' Fish & Fish Products

Fish and fish products that are not classified as ‘high-risk’ and not under CITES can be imported from any country or region without the need to obtain a health certificate.

If your food or food products are classified as ‘high-risk’ or under CITES, you must comply with the import requirements listed in the table above.

The most common mistakes made by traders is the incomplete submission of the required documents, such as omission of health certificates, or health certificates that do not have all required information.
To avoid delays in processing your application, you must ensure that the documents for each import consignment of food or food products are complete.

Step 4: Ensure food labels are accurate and complete

Every carton and basic packaging unit of your imported Fish and Fish Products must be labelled with the following information:

description of the fish product
country/region of origin of the fish product
brand name of the fish product (if any)
name and designation number of the processing establishment (if applicable)
date that the fish product was processed. The labels of all processed fish products must include the name and designation number of the establishment, and the date on which the fish was processed.
name and designation number of the establishment that packed the fish product and the date of packing
batch number, location and canning code of the fish product
net weight of the fish product in each basic packaging and outer carton

You must inform your supplier or exporter to comply with the SFA's labelling requirements.

For more details, see Labelling Requirements for Food.

Enhanced Regulated Source Programme (imports from Malaysia)

In addition to the supporting documents required for specific food products listed above, the Enhanced Regulated Source Programme requires processed food imported from Malaysia to come from registered establishments.

The following food products are covered under the programme. You are required to submit documents showing that your food products are obtained from registered establishments.

No.	Types of Products
1	Infant formula You can use the Calculation guide for infant formula to ensure the nutritional composition is within the limits.
2	Infant Cereal
3	Traditional cakes/kueh kueh, cooked rice products, and other perishable cooked food that are ready-to-eat. Frozen and/or uncooked products are currently excluded. For more information, see Examples of Traditional Cakes (Kueh Kueh), Cooked Rice Products and Other Perishable Cooked Food.
4	Mooncakes
5	Dried beancurd sticks, skin, and sheets
6	Edible oil
7	Minimally Processed (MP) Cut/ Peeled Fruits and Vegetables (including Ready-to-Eat)

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Step 1: Obtain and submit documents for Processed Food imported from Malaysia under the Enhanced Regulated Source Programme before you submit an application to SFA for an import permit

If your processed food product falls under this programme, you must submit documentary proof to SFA that your processed food products are from registered establishments before applying for an import permit.

Follow the steps below to submit your documents and obtain the establishment code.  

No.	Steps
1	Ensure you are importing from registered Malaysian establishments   Registered Malaysian establishments are food manufacturing establishments that have been registered with the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH).   Please contact MOH Malaysia for details:   Food Safety & Quality Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia (Attn: Ms Norshafawati Binti Rosli)  Tel: +60-03-8885 0797 ext 4074 Email: norshafawati@moh.gov.my Export Branch
2	Obtain documentary proof  You must gather the following documents before you can import food or food products under this programme:    MOH Malaysia registration letter    invoices from the establishment      This step can take a month or longer, depending on how quickly you can gather the required documents from your supplier.    Retain the original documents as you will need to produce them for SFA inspections.
3	Submit documentary proof    Documents must be submitted before you import a processed food product. Please submit the documents using the SFA Online Feedback Form.
4	Receive establishment code   If your submission is in order, you will receive an establishment code (e.g. MYZNNV0001) for each manufacturer upon submission of the documents.   You will need this code to fill in the CA/SC Code1 field when applying for your import permit through TradeNet.   You will also be required to submit the following documents for each import consignment:    invoices    packing lists   manufacturer’s licences   For details on import permits, see Application Process & Fees for Licence / Permit / Registration for Import / Export.

Step 2 (Optional): Send products to accredited laboratories for analysis

While not mandatory, you are encouraged to have quality control checks on the food or food products by sending them to accredited laboratories for analysis before you import them.

This way, you can be more certain that your food or food products comply with the food safety standards and food regulations.

The time and costs for lab tests vary depending on the type of food product tested and the specific testing procedures.

Please refer to the Singapore Accreditation Council-Singapore Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (SAC-SINGLAS) website for the list of accredited laboratories.

Import Requirements for Food & Food Products

Meat and Meat Products

Singapore Food Agency

What food or food products must meet the import requirements for Meat & Meat Products?

Where can I find the import requirements for Meat & Meat Products?

How do I comply with the import requirements for Meat & Meat Products?

eSPS Certificate

How do these import requirements ensure the food safety of Meat and Meat Products?

Eggs and Egg Products

What food or food products must meet the import requirements for Eggs & Egg Products?

When should I comply with these requirements for Eggs & Egg Products?

How do I comply with the import requirements for Eggs & Egg Products?

Fish & Fish Products

What food or food products must meet the import requirements for Fish & Fish Products?

Where can I find the import requirements for Fish & Fish Products?

How do I comply with the import requirements for Fish & Fish Products?

Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

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Processed Food & Food Appliances

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Insects & Insect Products

Guidelines to Import Insects & Insect Products

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Last Updated 28 July 2026

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