Diabetes is a serious health problem in Singapore, with the number of residents with diabetes expected to reach one million by 2050 if no measures shall be taken. To further curb the rising number of diabetes, the government of Singapore promulgated the Food Ordinance (Amendment No. 2) on 30 December 2021 (hereinafter referred to as the "Ordinance"), which requires prepackaged beverages with a high content of sugar and trans fats to be labelled as Nutri-Grade for retail in Singapore. And banned advertising related to "D"grade Nutri-Grade beverages. The revised regulations will take effect on December 30, 2022.

01 Applicable products

The amendment Ordinance applies to Nutri-Grade beverages intended for retail in Singapore.

It mainly includes:

a) Prepackaged ready-to-drink beverages, prepackaged or made and sold in bottles, cans, cartons, bags or other similar containers;

b) prepackaged powder or concentrate, confected or diluted with liquid prior to consumption as beverage;

c) Beverages for sell in automatic beverage vending machines, including soda machines and coffee machines.

Below products are not included:

a) beverages alcoholicity exceed 0.5% (v/v) at 20 ° C;

b) beverages that are prepared by hand at the place or place of sale, e.g. fresh beverages  that are prepared and packaged in a restaurant and can be taken away or delivered to the consumer (e.g. bubble tea, coffee/tea, soy milk,etc.);

c) Food for special purpose , such as infant formula, food for diabetics, etc.

02 Nutri-Grade Beverage grading system

Beverages are classified into four color-coded grades according to the Nutri-Grade grading system: "Grade A (dark green)," "Grade B (light green)," "Grade C (yellow)," or "Grade D (Red)." Grade A represents the lowest amount of sugar and saturated fat, while Grade D represents the highest. It is important to note that the total amount of sugar in a Nutri-Grade drink refers to any monosaccharides and disaccharides in the drink, including novel sugars such as allulose and isomaltulose. Manufacturers, local importers and distributors must accurately determine the grades of Nutri-Grade beverages in accordance with the provisions of the Amendment Ordinance. Table 1 shows the Nutri-Grade grading system.

Table 1 Nutri-Grade Grading system

03 Nutri-Grade Logo and Advertising Restrictions

All Nutri-Grade beverages intended for retail in Singapore, regardless of grade, must be labeled with a nutrition facts list. Nutri-Grade is mandatory for C - and D-grade beverages, and voluntary for healthier A - and B-rated beverages. The Nutri-Grade label must indicate the total sugar content of the product. In addition, the Nutri-Grade mark can be either horizontal or vertical, as shown in Figure 1. In Singapore, all media platforms (e.g. radio, television, internet, print, etc.) are prohibited advertising of Nutri-Grade drinks at "D" grade.

Figure 1 Nutri-Grade label

Summary

At present, the global trend of reducing sugar and controlling sugar has become more and more obvious, especially in the beverage industry. Singapore's new regulations are in line with the global trend of reducing and controlling sugar. It will help consumers identify beverages with higher sugar and saturated fat content, make smarter and healthier choices, and further promote a healthier diet for all. At the same time, the implementation of the new regulations will have a great impact on food enterprises exporting to Singapore.