New Safety Assurance for Food Establishment (SAFE) Framework to strengthen food safety

            The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) will be implementing the Safety Assurance for Food Establishment (SAFE) framework from 19 January 2026.

2            Currently, food establishments are graded ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, or ‘D’ based on annual snapshot assessments. From 19 January 2026, this grading system will be replaced by the SAFE framework.

3            An estimated 45,000 retail and non-retail SFA-licensed food establishments will come under the framework. These food establishments will be categorised as either Category 1 or Category 2, based on their level of food processing or preparation (see Annex A for further details).

4            Under the SAFE framework, food establishments will be graded ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’ based on their food safety track records and implementation of food safety management systems with the appointment of a competent person (Advanced Food Hygiene Officer).  Food establishments with consistent good food safety track records will attain higher grades, while those with poor food safety track records will attain lower grades, and be subjected to more frequent inspections. Establishments that have been in operation for less than a year will begin with a “NEW” grade to help consumers differentiate them from operators with established track records.              

5            Category 1 food establishments that aspire to attain and maintain grade ‘A’ status will need to meet two additional food safety requirements, given their larger scale of food processing or preparation. To give Category 1 food establishments time to put in place the additional requirements, the SAFE framework will be implemented in two phases. Phase 1 will start from 19 January 2026. Under Phase 1, all food establishments will be given a grade based on track records and will need a good track record of more than three years with no major lapses to attain grade ‘A’. From Phase 2 onwards, Category 1 food establishments will also need to i) appoint an Advanced Food Hygiene Officer (AFHO) and ii) implement a Food Safety Management System (FSMS) to maintain or attain grade ‘A’. Please refer to Annex B for further details on the grading of food establishments in Phase 1 and 2.

6            Dr Tan Lee Kim, SFA’s Director-General (Food Administration) and Deputy CEO (Food Safety), said: “The SAFE framework offers a more effective way to assess food safety performance. By recognising food establishments which consistently maintain high standards, we strengthen food safety across the industry while empowering consumers to make informed choices. This is the outcome of extensive engagement with industry stakeholders, and SFA will work with food establishments through this transition.”

7            Ensuring food safety is a joint responsibility. The SAFE framework strengthens food safety assurance by the industry, while helping consumers to make more informed dining choices by referring to SAFE grades and supporting food establishments that prioritise food safety.

8            More information on the SAFE framework can be found at go.gov.sg/sfa-safe. From 19 Jan 2026 onwards, licensees and the public can check SAFE grades by scanning the QR code on the SFA licence displayed at the food establishment, or referring to SFA’s website (sfa.gov.sg/track-records). 

Annex A: Categorisation of food establishments under the SAFE framework

The SAFE framework applies to SFA-licensed food establishments that process or prepare food for sale to the public, which will be classified as one of the following two categories:

Annex B: Grading of food establishments

Phase 1 (from 19 Jan 2026)

SFA will automatically assign existing food establishments a starting grade under the SAFE framework based on their current food safety track records.

A fast-track option is available for Category 1 food establishments (without grade ‘C’ track records) to attain grade ‘A’ in shorter time if they have at least one year of good food safety track records, appointed an Advanced Food Hygiene Officer (AFHO) and implemented a certified Food Safety Management System (FSMS).  

SAFE grades will be updated based on establishments’ food safety track records. For instance, if a food establishment commits a major lapse (i.e., licence suspension under the Points Demerit System or court convictions for food safety related offences), it will be immediately downgraded to grade ‘C’.

Phase 2 (more details will be announced by 2027)

In Phase 2, Category 1 food establishments who wish to maintain or attain grade ‘A’ will not be able to rely solely on sustaining good food safety track records of more than three years. They will need to appoint an AFHO and implement a FSMS to maintain or attain grade ‘A’ status. This phased approach provides more time for food establishments aspiring to attain higher grades to put in place the necessary systems to do so.