Statute Details
- Title: Food Safety and Security (Catalogued Insect-like Species) Order 2025
- Act Code: FSSA2025-S712-2025
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Food Safety and Security Act 2025 (powers under section 13(2))
- Enacting Authority: Singapore Food Agency (with approval of the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment)
- Approval / Making Date: Made on 19 November 2025
- Commencement: 28 November 2025
- Key Provisions: Section 1 (citation and commencement); Section 2 (definition of “catalogued insect-like species” by reference to the Schedule)
- Schedule: “Catalogued insect-like species” (species listed in the second column, with specified development stage(s) in the third column)
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
What Is This Legislation About?
The Food Safety and Security (Catalogued Insect-like Species) Order 2025 is a Singapore subsidiary instrument that creates a legal category: “catalogued insect-like species”. In practical terms, it identifies particular insect-like species (and the relevant stage(s) of their development) that are treated as “catalogued” under the Food Safety and Security regulatory framework.
Although the Order itself is short, its function is foundational. It does not, on its face, set out a full regulatory regime (such as licensing, prohibitions, or enforcement procedures). Instead, it performs a classification task that is typically necessary before other provisions in the parent Act—or other subsidiary instruments—can be applied. Once a species is “catalogued” for a specified developmental stage, it becomes a defined subject matter for the broader food safety and security controls contemplated by the Food Safety and Security Act 2025.
In plain language: the Singapore Food Agency, with ministerial approval, publishes a Schedule listing which insect-like species are legally recognised for regulatory purposes, and it specifies whether the regulation applies to eggs, larvae, pupae, adults, or other development stages. This ensures that the regulatory system can target the relevant biological form, which is often crucial for safety, traceability, and risk management.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation and commencement) provides the formal identity of the instrument and fixes its effective date. The Order is cited as the “Food Safety and Security (Catalogued Insect-like Species) Order 2025” and comes into operation on 28 November 2025. For practitioners, the commencement date matters because it determines when the Schedule’s classifications become legally operative and when compliance obligations (arising elsewhere in the regulatory framework) begin to attach.
Section 2 (Catalogued insect-like species) is the core operative provision. It states that a species specified in the second column of the Schedule, at any stage of development specified opposite in the third column, is a “catalogued insect-like species”. This drafting technique is important: the definition is not open-ended. It is anchored to the Schedule and requires both (i) the correct species and (ii) the correct development stage(s) as listed.
From a legal interpretation standpoint, Section 2 creates a two-part condition for classification. First, the species must be one that appears in the Schedule. Second, the relevant biological stage must match the stage(s) specified in the Schedule. This means that even if a species is listed, the regulatory treatment may apply only to the stage(s) identified. Conversely, if a stage is not specified, the species at that stage may not fall within the “catalogued” definition for the purposes of the Act and related subsidiary measures.
The Schedule is therefore not merely descriptive; it is the legal engine that determines scope. The Schedule is titled “Catalogued insect-like species” and is structured in columns: the second column lists the species, while the third column lists the stage(s) of development. The Order’s short length underscores that the Schedule is where the substantive content lies. In practice, lawyers advising regulated entities must consult the Schedule carefully and confirm (a) the exact species name used, and (b) the stage of the organism involved in the relevant activity (for example, breeding, harvesting, processing, import/export, or sale).
Finally, the enacting formula indicates that the Singapore Food Agency made the Order in exercise of powers under section 13(2) of the Food Safety and Security Act 2025, and that it required the approval of the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment. This matters for administrative law and regulatory governance: it signals that the classification is not purely internal; it is subject to ministerial oversight, which can be relevant if a party later challenges the validity or scope of the classification process.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured in a conventional subsidiary-legislation format with a brief enacting section and a Schedule.
Part/Section layout:
- Section 1: Citation and commencement (sets the legal identity and effective date).
- Section 2: Defines “catalogued insect-like species” by reference to the Schedule (species in the second column; development stage in the third column).
- The Schedule: Lists the catalogued insect-like species and the specified development stage(s) for each.
There are no additional Parts or detailed procedural provisions in the extract provided. The legal effect is achieved through the definitional mechanism in Section 2 and the Schedule’s content.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
This Order applies to persons and entities whose activities fall within the broader scope of the Food Safety and Security Act 2025 and who deal with insect-like species that are classified as “catalogued” under Section 2. While the Order itself does not specify regulated parties (such as “licensees”, “food handlers”, or “importers”), the definitional nature of the instrument means its practical reach will depend on how the parent Act and other subsidiary instruments use the term “catalogued insect-like species”.
In practice, the likely affected stakeholders include businesses involved in the production, processing, handling, importation, distribution, or sale of insect-like products, ingredients, or materials—particularly where the relevant organism is at a development stage listed in the Schedule. For example, if a company harvests larvae of a listed species, the classification will likely be directly relevant; if it instead deals only with adult forms (and the Schedule specifies larvae only), the classification may not apply for that activity.
Because the Order is a definitional instrument, the compliance question for a practitioner is usually not “Does this Order regulate me directly?” but rather “Does my product or process involve a species and development stage that the Schedule has catalogued, such that other obligations under the Food Safety and Security Act 2025 are triggered?”
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Order is brief, it is significant because it determines regulatory scope. In food safety and security regimes, classification decisions are often the gateway to compliance obligations. By cataloguing specific insect-like species and specifying the relevant development stages, the Singapore Food Agency enables the regulatory system to apply risk controls, documentation requirements, and enforcement measures consistently.
From a compliance and risk-management perspective, the stage-specific approach is particularly important. Insect-like organisms can present different risk profiles depending on their biological stage. For instance, contamination risks, handling practices, and processing methods may vary between eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. By specifying the stage(s) in the Schedule, the Order supports a more precise regulatory targeting than a blanket “species only” approach.
For practitioners, the Order also has practical implications for contracting, due diligence, and product traceability. If a supply chain involves multiple stages (breeding, rearing, harvesting, processing), parties must ensure that the stage being supplied aligns with the Schedule’s catalogued stage(s). Misalignment could lead to regulatory non-compliance if obligations are triggered only for catalogued stages. Lawyers advising on supply agreements, regulatory submissions, and internal compliance policies should therefore treat the Schedule as a critical reference point.
Finally, the Order’s status as “current version as at 27 March 2026” indicates that the Schedule may be updated over time. The platform’s timeline references an instrument dated 28 November 2025 (SL 712/2025). Practitioners should verify whether later amendments exist and whether the Schedule’s species list and stage specifications have changed. This is essential for ongoing compliance, especially where products are produced continuously or where regulatory approvals depend on the legal classification at the time of submission.
Related Legislation
- Food Safety and Security Act 2025 (authorising Act; in particular, section 13(2) as the power enabling this Order)
- Security Act 2025 (listed in the provided metadata as related legislation; relevance would depend on how “food safety and security” is integrated across regimes)
- Legislation timeline / amendments records (to confirm the current Schedule and any subsequent changes)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Food Safety and Security (Catalogued Insect-like Species) Order 2025 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.