SINGAPORE - A meat importer was fined $35,000 on Wednesday for selling imported food without inspection and proper certification.

Chee Song Foods was one of four food importers fined for various food offences, including illegally importing fruits and vegetables and operating an unlicensed cold store.

The licensed meat importer had imported 27,000kg of frozen chicken products on July 29, 2022, and failed to arrange for inspection, examination, and certification by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) before selling the products, the agency said on Wednesday.

All imported meat products have to be inspected, examined and certified by an authorised examiner before it is sold, distributed or exported, SFA added. Meat products found unfit for human consumption will be seized and disposed.

Those convicted of failing to arrange for imported meat to be inspected before sale or distribution are liable to a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment not exceeding 12 months, or both. Those convicted of selling meat that has not been inspected can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to two years, or both.

Separately, a food importer, along with its director and the licensee of another wholesaler of fruits and vegetables, were fined for illegally importing fresh fruits and vegetables.

Food importer Chin Sam Chiap was fined $7,000 for the offence, while its director Chin Kang Chwee was fined $5,000 for failing to prevent the offence.

On Aug 25, 2022, a truck with food produce consigned to Chin Sam Chiap was stopped and referred for checks during a joint operation by SFA and the Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority at the Woodlands Checkpoint. Some 176 kg worth of undeclared fresh fruits and vegetables were found and seized.

Sim Ee Jiun, the licensee of wholesaler Chop Weng Hoi, was also fined $5,800 for illegally importing about 110kg of undeclared and under-declared fresh fruits and vegetables. About 496kg of undeclared and “minimally processed” vegetables were also found. All the produce found were seized.

The SFA requires all fruits and vegetables to be imported only by licensed importers, and every consignment must be declared and accompanied by a valid import permit.

Illegally imported vegetables are of unknown sources and can pose a food safety risk, such as if unregulated or high levels of pesticides are used, the SFA said.

It added: “The long-term ingestion of excessive pesticide residues through the consumption of vegetables that have been subjected to pesticide abuse could lead to adverse health effects.”

Those convicted of illegally importing fresh fruits and vegetables can be fined up to $10,000, jailed up to three years, or both. Those convicted of illegally importing processed produced can be fined up to $1,000.

Another food importer, Atlantic Supplies and Trading, was fined $3,500 for operating an unlicensed cold store. Its director Ang Yi Cheng was fined the same amount for failing to prevent the offence from being committed.

During an inspection in September 2022, SFA officers found about 1,585kg of meat and seafood products stored in an unlicensed cold store in Buroh Crescent. The products were seized by the SFA.

According to the agency, all cold stores for meat and seafood products must be licensed and meet its requirements and food safety standards.

SFA said: “Illegal storage of meat and seafood at unlicensed facilities pose a food safety risk.”

It added that licensed cold store premises in Singapore are routinely inspected by the agency to ensure compliance.

Those convicted of storing meat and fish products illegally can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to a year, or both.