The Singapore Food Agency (SFA)’s continued market surveillance on infant food products has detected arsenic in the following infant products at levels exceeding the maximum limit stated in the Singapore Food Regulations:
a) Wen’s Baby Cereal Puree Whitebait and Pumpkin
b) Wen’s Baby Cereal Puree Whitebait and Purple Sweet Potato
c) Holle Organic Wholegrain Cereal Rice
2 SFA has directed Naoki Trading and Chadil Pte Ltd to recall the affected batches of the product.
3 Food products, including infant food, are regulated for food safety. They are subjected to SFA’s inspection and surveillance programme, which is based on scientific risk assessment.
SFA assesses the food safety risk, such as the known hazards associated with the food, with respect to our food safety requirements, before including the food and the related hazard in our inspection and surveillance programme.
Food products that do not comply with SFA’s food safety regulations will not be allowed for sale in Singapore.
Arsenic
4 Arsenic is a heavy metal found naturally in the earth’s crust and in the environment. Long term intake of arsenic can cause cancer and skin changes. Hence, exposure through food, especially those meant for young children, should be kept as low as possible.
The levels of total arsenic in infant food should not exceed the maximum limit of 0.1ppm.
To minimise exposure to arsenic, consumers are advised to offer their infants a balanced diet with a wide variety of food.
5 More information on arsenic can be found on SFA’s website:
https://www.sfa.gov.sg/food-information/risk-at-a-glance/arsenic-in-rice-and-infantrice-cereal.
6 Consumers who have purchased the implicated products are advised not to feed it to their children. Those whose children have consumed the implicated products and have concerns about their children’s health should seek medical advice. Consumers may contact their point of purchase for enquiries.
Issued by the Singapore Food Agency
15 May 2023
