S'pore to allow import of pork blood products after 27-year ban

UPDATE on Apr. 3, 7:45pm: This article was updated with more information from SFA.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) announced that it has approved the import of heat-treated pork blood products from an accredited establishment in Thailand, effective Apr. 1.

In a circular posted on its website on Apr. 1, SFA said the establishment approved for heat-treated pork blood imports to Singapore is Bangkhla Pig Slaughterhouse, located in Bangkhla District, Chachoengsao Province, Thailand.

It will be the first time in 27 years that an animal blood product is allowed for consumption in Singapore.

1999 ban

Singapore imposed a ban on the import and consumption of such products 27 years ago in 1999, during the outbreak of the Nipah virus.

"Animal blood food products, such as pig's blood, are prohibited in Singapore as blood can easily support the growth of bacteria and harbour diseases," said SFA in 2021, CNA reported.

Imports of animal blood products were also banned to caution against unhygienic harvesting of blood that can "result in the introduction of food borne pathogens into blood food products", SFA added.

Health certificate required

In response to Mothership's queries, SFA said on Apr. 3 that there was periodic interest from industry stakeholders to resume pig blood product supply through imports.

The ban was then lifted following food safety assessments.

Each import consignment must be accompanied by a official health certificate issued by the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) for Thailand, it added.

It must certify that the import complies with Singapore’s animal health and food safety requirements.

"Traders are reminded that pork and pork products can only be imported from SFA-approved sources," said SFA.

According to Lianhe Zaobao, SFA concluded that as long as the collection and processing of pig's blood meet food safety requirements, it is safe to consume.

SFA added that this position is consistent with that of many foreign regulatory agencies, which also set standards to ensure that pig blood products are safe to produce and consume.

An assessment was conducted after Bangkhla Pig Slaughterhouse sent an application for import, the first official application since SFA's requirements were established, the agency stated.

It was found to have met Singapore's food safety requirements in terms of facilities, processing procedures and quality control.

This included meeting regulations on blood collection, processing and storage, ensuring that only the blood of healthy animals were used, and that the appropriate temperatures and methods were maintained.

Local manufacturer CP Foods Singapore, an importer of pork blood products, said that it would take another one or two months for the product to arrive in Singapore.

This is due to the required documentation, sales channels and packaging designs that will need to be completed, a spokesperson told Zaobao.

Top images via Canva & Freshket Supermarket