SINGAPORE: Instant noodles, condiments and cooking oil sold in Singapore will by mid-2027 be required to carry a nutrition grade to signal to consumers how healthy the food products are.
Nutri-Grade labelling, which grades products A, B, C or D, currently focuses on sugar content and is compulsory for beverages.
The labelling will, by mid-2027, extend to include sodium and saturated fat content, and will be found on food products that are the key sources of sodium and saturated fat for Singapore residents.
While this was first announced in August last year by the Ministry of Health (MOH), details of how it will be rolled out were shared on Sunday (Apr 6) by Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
Speaking at an event marking the 55th anniversary of the Singapore Heart Foundation (SHF) held at the National Gallery Singapore, Mr Ong said that the number of Singaporeans diagnosed with heart disease has gone up in the past decade.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung speaks at the Singapore Heart Foundation's 55th anniversary event at the National Gallery Singapore on Apr 6, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Chew Hui Min)
"In 2022, 36 Singaporeans were diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction or heart attack every day ... That is more than one person every hour. Ten years before that, the number was 25 per day," said Mr Ong.
"These are not just statistics, because every one of the victims is a family member, friend or colleague."
Besides early detection through regular checks, Singaporeans should mind the "three highs" – diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol – all of which increase the risk of heart disease, he said.
Based on the latest national statistics in 2022, the prevalence of hypertension and high blood cholesterol among Singapore residents remains high, said MOH.
More than one in three (37 per cent) Singaporeans have hypertension, or high blood pressure, and the number has nearly doubled since 2010. And nearly a third (31.9 per cent) have high cholesterol, or hyperlipidaemia. Eating too much salt and saturated fat are key risk factors for these chronic conditions.
Nine in 10 Singapore residents consume more than the recommended amount of sodium, which is 2,000mg per day. The amount of sodium they consume has also gone up to 3,620mg a day from 3,480mg in 2019.
Their intake of saturated fat also exceeds guidelines. Saturated fat makes up 36 per cent of Singapore residents’ total dietary fat intake, which is higher than the 30 per cent upper limit recommended. The major source of saturated fat in their diets is cooking oil.
"On diet, the great majority of Singaporeans will benefit immensely, not by going on any kind of fancy dietary programmes, but (by) simply moderating our consumption of the ‘three Ss’ – sugar, sodium, saturated fats," said Mr Ong.
Nutri-Grade labelling will extend to salt, sauces, seasonings, instant noodles and cooking oil by mid-2027.
The extended labelling will focus on salt, sauces, seasonings, instant noodles and cooking oil, which are the major contributors of sodium and saturated fat intake.
Salt, sauces, seasonings and instant noodles comprise about three-quarters of sodium intake, and cooking oil makes up about one-third of saturated fat intake here, based on the 2022 National Nutrition Survey.
In all, 23 sub-categories of prepacked foods will be affected.
About four in 10 of such products purchased by Singaporeans would receive a grade of D, according to data from MOH and the Health Promotion Board (HPB). In particular, about 95 per cent of salt bought here is in grade C or D while 82 per cent of instant noodles fall under these two grades.
Advertising for products labelled D, reserved for the unhealthiest foods, is banned, MOH said.
To give industry players sufficient time to reformulate their products, the labelling will kick in only in mid-2027. MOH supports the reformulation of healthier products with grants.
Mr Ong said that the ministry decided every sub-category of products will have its own set of threshold levels for sodium or saturated fat because it recognises that there is a wide variety of products used for different cuisines, and used in different amounts.
"It would not be feasible to grade kecap manis, soy sauce and fish sauce based on the same set of thresholds, given the inherent differences in their sodium and sugar content, and more importantly, inherent differences in the way we use those sauces," he said.
"If we let every sauce use the same threshold, an ingredient such as fish sauce which has inherently high sodium content and ... used sparingly, will be condemned to a D grading with little hope of improvement. Its manufacturer will also have no incentive to improve."
He said that by assigning different threshold levels to each category of sauces, consumers have a basis to choose the healthier versions while the industry will have an incentive for practical, progressive reformulation.
MOH and the Health Promotion Board reached out to more than 7,000 industry and expert stakeholders to develop these measures, the ministry said.
HPB is also engaging food and beverage operators and hawkers to encourage them to switch to lower-sodium ingredients. This is part of its “Less Salt, More Taste” movement launched in 2023, which aims to reduce Singaporeans’ sodium intake by 15 per cent.
The push to reduce sodium intake follows MOH’s war against diabetes to cut sugar consumption in Singapore.
Nutri-Grade labelling and public health campaigns helped to lower the consumption of sugar here. Total daily sugar intake reduced from 60g in 2018 to 56g in 2022.
HPB recommends limiting sugar to no more than 10 per cent of daily energy intake, which is about 50 grams, or 10 teaspoons of sugar, based on a 2000-calorie diet.
The Singapore Heart Foundation on Sunday announced a number of initiatives to mark its 55th anniversary, including the return of a live TV charity show called Resilient Hearts to be broadcast on Mediacorp's Channel 8 on Jun 29 at 7pm.
"SHF has always been evolving to address the challenges of an ever-changing heart health landscape in Singapore," said SHF chairman Professor Tan Huay Cheem.
"As we celebrate our 55th anniversary today, we pay tribute to the resilience of not only those who helped build a heart-healthier nation together with us, but also that of cardiac arrest survivors and our Heart Wellness Centre clients who relentlessly fight back at heart disease."
Continue reading...
Nutri-Grade labelling, which grades products A, B, C or D, currently focuses on sugar content and is compulsory for beverages.
The labelling will, by mid-2027, extend to include sodium and saturated fat content, and will be found on food products that are the key sources of sodium and saturated fat for Singapore residents.
While this was first announced in August last year by the Ministry of Health (MOH), details of how it will be rolled out were shared on Sunday (Apr 6) by Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
Speaking at an event marking the 55th anniversary of the Singapore Heart Foundation (SHF) held at the National Gallery Singapore, Mr Ong said that the number of Singaporeans diagnosed with heart disease has gone up in the past decade.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung speaks at the Singapore Heart Foundation's 55th anniversary event at the National Gallery Singapore on Apr 6, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Chew Hui Min)
"In 2022, 36 Singaporeans were diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction or heart attack every day ... That is more than one person every hour. Ten years before that, the number was 25 per day," said Mr Ong.
"These are not just statistics, because every one of the victims is a family member, friend or colleague."
Besides early detection through regular checks, Singaporeans should mind the "three highs" – diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol – all of which increase the risk of heart disease, he said.
Related:
Based on the latest national statistics in 2022, the prevalence of hypertension and high blood cholesterol among Singapore residents remains high, said MOH.
More than one in three (37 per cent) Singaporeans have hypertension, or high blood pressure, and the number has nearly doubled since 2010. And nearly a third (31.9 per cent) have high cholesterol, or hyperlipidaemia. Eating too much salt and saturated fat are key risk factors for these chronic conditions.
Nine in 10 Singapore residents consume more than the recommended amount of sodium, which is 2,000mg per day. The amount of sodium they consume has also gone up to 3,620mg a day from 3,480mg in 2019.
Their intake of saturated fat also exceeds guidelines. Saturated fat makes up 36 per cent of Singapore residents’ total dietary fat intake, which is higher than the 30 per cent upper limit recommended. The major source of saturated fat in their diets is cooking oil.
"On diet, the great majority of Singaporeans will benefit immensely, not by going on any kind of fancy dietary programmes, but (by) simply moderating our consumption of the ‘three Ss’ – sugar, sodium, saturated fats," said Mr Ong.
Nutri-Grade labelling will extend to salt, sauces, seasonings, instant noodles and cooking oil by mid-2027.
The extended labelling will focus on salt, sauces, seasonings, instant noodles and cooking oil, which are the major contributors of sodium and saturated fat intake.
Salt, sauces, seasonings and instant noodles comprise about three-quarters of sodium intake, and cooking oil makes up about one-third of saturated fat intake here, based on the 2022 National Nutrition Survey.
In all, 23 sub-categories of prepacked foods will be affected.
About four in 10 of such products purchased by Singaporeans would receive a grade of D, according to data from MOH and the Health Promotion Board (HPB). In particular, about 95 per cent of salt bought here is in grade C or D while 82 per cent of instant noodles fall under these two grades.
Advertising for products labelled D, reserved for the unhealthiest foods, is banned, MOH said.
HOW THE LABELS WILL WORK
- Salt, sauces, seasonings, instant noodles and cooking oil must be graded A, B, C or D based on their salt, sugar and saturated fat content.
- Grade A is for foods with the lowest levels of sodium, sugar or saturated fat, and the highest is graded D.
- Products will be graded by the nutrient of concern with the highest level. For example, if a product has a sodium level of C and a saturated fat level in grade D, the final grade will be D. The label will then highlight the nutrient of concern, which in this case is saturated fat.
- Different subcategories of products will have different thresholds for grading, and should be compared with other products in the same category.
- For products graded C or D, the Nutri-Grade mark must be displayed on the front of the product packaging.
- Advertisements promoting the sale of products graded D will be prohibited.
To give industry players sufficient time to reformulate their products, the labelling will kick in only in mid-2027. MOH supports the reformulation of healthier products with grants.
Mr Ong said that the ministry decided every sub-category of products will have its own set of threshold levels for sodium or saturated fat because it recognises that there is a wide variety of products used for different cuisines, and used in different amounts.
"It would not be feasible to grade kecap manis, soy sauce and fish sauce based on the same set of thresholds, given the inherent differences in their sodium and sugar content, and more importantly, inherent differences in the way we use those sauces," he said.
"If we let every sauce use the same threshold, an ingredient such as fish sauce which has inherently high sodium content and ... used sparingly, will be condemned to a D grading with little hope of improvement. Its manufacturer will also have no incentive to improve."
He said that by assigning different threshold levels to each category of sauces, consumers have a basis to choose the healthier versions while the industry will have an incentive for practical, progressive reformulation.
MOH and the Health Promotion Board reached out to more than 7,000 industry and expert stakeholders to develop these measures, the ministry said.
HPB is also engaging food and beverage operators and hawkers to encourage them to switch to lower-sodium ingredients. This is part of its “Less Salt, More Taste” movement launched in 2023, which aims to reduce Singaporeans’ sodium intake by 15 per cent.
The push to reduce sodium intake follows MOH’s war against diabetes to cut sugar consumption in Singapore.
Nutri-Grade labelling and public health campaigns helped to lower the consumption of sugar here. Total daily sugar intake reduced from 60g in 2018 to 56g in 2022.
HPB recommends limiting sugar to no more than 10 per cent of daily energy intake, which is about 50 grams, or 10 teaspoons of sugar, based on a 2000-calorie diet.
The Singapore Heart Foundation on Sunday announced a number of initiatives to mark its 55th anniversary, including the return of a live TV charity show called Resilient Hearts to be broadcast on Mediacorp's Channel 8 on Jun 29 at 7pm.
"SHF has always been evolving to address the challenges of an ever-changing heart health landscape in Singapore," said SHF chairman Professor Tan Huay Cheem.
"As we celebrate our 55th anniversary today, we pay tribute to the resilience of not only those who helped build a heart-healthier nation together with us, but also that of cardiac arrest survivors and our Heart Wellness Centre clients who relentlessly fight back at heart disease."
Continue reading...