SINGAPORE: Food donors will be able to donate their excess or unsold food without having to worry about being held liable under strict food safety regulations, after a Bill that aims to reduce food waste and encourage donation was passed on Wednesday (Aug 7). The Good Samaritan Food Donation Bill, which was tabled by Member of Parliament (MP) Louis Ng (PAP-Nee Soon), will protect donors from criminal or civil liability for any death or personal injury resulting from consuming donated food, provided certain conditions to ensure food safety and hygiene are met. Prior to this, Singapore did not offer any liability protection for food donors or food rescue organisations.
Instead, indemnity forms are often used to release donors from any risks or liabilities that may arise from untoward incidents. WHAT THE BILL IS ABOUT The Bill covers any entity or person that gives away food for a charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purpose without any monetary exchange. This means that if any money is exchanged for the food, including any fee charged by the donor for providing the food, this will not be considered a donation.
To be granted liability waivers, donors must fulfil four conditions to ensure food safety and hygiene. They are: If a donor meets these four conditions, they will be shielded from civil and criminal liability even if a beneficiary falls sick after eating donated food. However, Mr Ng said this will not take away the Singapore Food Agency’s (SFA) powers to investigate .