SINGAPORE - Food and wine wholesaler Ferrari Food+Wine was fined $30,000 on Wednesday for multiple offences, including the illegal import of 175kg of meat products and tampering of date mark of pre-packed food.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a statement on Wednesday that the wholesaler had been found flouting the Wholesome Meat and Fish Act and Food Regulations on several occasions.
In April 2020, SFA officers, upon inspection, found about 175kg of Italian meat products without a valid import permit at the company’s premises.
During another inspection in December 2020, SFA officers found that the company had tampered the date mark on 25 assorted pre-packed food products such as olive oil, jam and canned food.
It had also processed about 212kg of raw meat, seafood and processed food products without a valid processing establishment licence, said SFA.
In addition, the company breached licensing conditions by storing 1,157kg of pet food in the cold store that is licensed to store only food for human consumption.
The company was directed to stop processing meat and processed food products. All illegal food products had been seized by SFA.
SFA reminded that food imports must meet the agency’s requirements. Only licensed importers are allowed to import food, and every consignment must be declared and accompanied by a valid import permit, it added.
“Illegally imported food products are of unknown sources and pose a food safety risk,” said SFA.
Offenders who illegally import meat or fish products can be jailed up to two years or fined up to $50,000, or both. Those who illegally import processed food can be fined up to $1,000.
SFA also said all food operators must obtain valid food business licences to supply food to other businesses.
Those who process food products in an unlicensed premise can be fined up to $5,000. Repeat offenders can be jailed up to three months or fined up to $10,000, or both.
Those who tamper with any date mark on any pre-packed food or sell any pre-packed food without an expiry date mark can be fined up to $1,000. Repeat offenders can be fined up to $2,000.