Singapore legislation
Clause 40
Clause 40
Articles of food unfit for human consumption
(1)
No person shall, without lawful excuse, have in his possession any article of food intended for human consumption which is unsound or unfit for human consumption.
(2)
The Commissioner or a public health officer may at all reasonable times —
enter into and inspect any place which is used, or which he has reasonable grounds for believing to be used —
for the sale, either wholesale or retail, of articles of food intended for human consumption; or
for the preparation or storage of such articles intended for sale;
search any cart or vehicle or any basket, sack, bag, parcel or receptacle which he has reasonable grounds for believing to contain articles of food intended for human consumption and may examine any such articles which are therein.
(3)
If it appears to the Commissioner or public health officer that any such article is unsound or unfit for human consumption, the article may be seized by the Commissioner or public health officer.
(4)
Any article seized may be kept or stored in the place or premises where it was seized or may at the direction of the Commissioner or public health officer be removed to any other place or, where the article is likely to decay or is deleterious to health, be destroyed.
(5)
A certificate signed by the Commissioner shall be accepted by a Magistrate’s Court as sufficient evidence that any article seized was unsound or unfit for human consumption at the time of seizure.
(6)
A person claiming anything seized under this section may within 48 hours after such seizure complain thereof to a Magistrate’s Court, and such complaint may be heard and determined by the Court, which may either confirm or disallow the seizure wholly or in part, or may order any article seized to be returned to the owner and may order payment to be made to the owner of the article of such amount as the Court considers will compensate him for any loss or depreciation resulting from the seizure.
(7)
If within 48 hours after such seizure no complaint has been made, or if such seizure is confirmed, every article seized shall become the property of the Government and shall be destroyed or otherwise disposed of so as to prevent the article from being used for human consumption.
(8)
No person shall obstruct the Commissioner or a public health officer in the exercise of his powers under this section or tamper with any article of food kept or stored in any place or premises under subsection (4).