Good Manufacturing Practices

Enhancing Food Safety:

SFA and NYP Collaborate to Strengthen Training and Standards

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) works to secure and safeguard the nation's food safety and security. This includes participating in regional and international efforts to build on members’ strengths in food, agriculture, fisheries, and research.

Recognising Nanyang Polytechnic's School of Applied Science (NYP SAS), as a highly experienced training provider in Good Manufacturing and Handling Practices (GMP & GHP), SFA recently partnered with them to promote advancements in food technology and establish new standards and practices for enhancing food safety.

In April 2022, Dr. Heng Hui Gan, Senior Specialist (Food Chemistry & Safety) from NYP SAS, conducted an online training program, sharing her vast knowledge with 25 participants across the ASEAN member states. The training covered a wide range of topics related to Good Manufacturing and Handling Practices (GMP & GHP), including Food Safety Fundamentals, GHP/GMP in Processing of Ready-to-Eat Fish & Fishery Products, and GHP/GMP Best Practices for Ready-to-Eat Fish & Fishery Products. The participants gained valuable insights that they could readily apply within their respective workplace environments.

One participant from the Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources shared her experience, stating,

“This training helped us a lot and gave us an opportunity to meet representatives from other countries and be exposed to the HPP technology. As a government employee that provides technical assistance to small and medium-scale fisheries establishments, we can share the know-how of this technology to our clients and promote it at the same time, for lower production costs and faster production of safe, high-quality ready-to-eat products.

Thank you SFA, SEAFDEC and NYP for this wonderful learning experience."

-Haide T Rojas-

Recognizing the value of these learned techniques being implemented by participants from ASEAN member countries, the Marine Aquaculture Centre (MAC) of SFA, as the collaborating centre for the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre (SEAFDEC) Marine Fisheries Research Department, organized a follow-up training session in Singapore from June 20 to 22, 2023. Regional partners and contacts were invited to attend this face-to-face training session. Once again, NYP’s School of Applied Science took the lead in providing consultancy and training on Good Manufacturing and Handling Practices (GMP & GHP). The focus was on Ready-to-Eat Raw Fish and Fishery Products and introduction of High-Pressure Processing (HPP) Processing for Seafood. A total of 33 participants from both the local industry and ASEAN member states joined the training and had the opportunity to visit NYP’s research and testing facilities on June 21, 2023.

Dr. Heng Hui Gan, sharing on High Pressure Processing Technology at Nanyang Polytechnic, School of Applied Science.

Dr. Mark Richards, sharing on Aquaculture projects at Food Safety Centre, Nanyang Polytechnic, School of Applied Science.

This event showcased the school's technical expertise in food safety and processing, as well as its ability to develop reliable training materials, guidelines, and conduct innovative research for product development. The participants could utilize and implement these resources in their respective companies, expanding the influence of NYP's School of Applied Science in the food manufacturing landscape beyond Singapore.

The collaboration between SFA and NYP is set to continue, ensuring the ongoing efforts to maintain food safety not only in Singapore, but also our ASEAN Member States.

The Industry Project Chronicles Team

August 2023

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