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VEGGIE PIPE - DIY VEGETABLE GROWING SYSTEM

12 April 2012: There has been growing interest in cultivating vegetables at home. Given the limited space for planting, growing vegetables vertically may be a feasible way for Singaporeans to cultivate vegetables within the comforts of their own homes. AVA has been working on developing vertical systems for the growing of vegetables in confined spaces.

Here is a guide to assembling a DIY veggie pipe system.

We are conducting a workshop to demonstrate how to assemble the veggie pipe system on Saturday, 28 April 2012 at MND Building. For those interested, please contact us at 67519821/67519822 or fong_siew_lee@ava.gov.sg by 26 April. More details can be found here.

AVA’S EXERCISE TO TEST OPERATIONAL READINESS TO DEAL WITH A BIRD FLU OUTBREAK A SUCCESS

22 March 2012: AVA’s sixth operational exercise to test our emergency preparedness in responding to an outbreak of bird flu was successfully conducted on 22 March. The key objectives of the exercise were met.

Code-named Exercise Gallus VI, the exercise involved 200 AVA personnel and was held at AVA’s Veterinary Public Health Centre in Lim Chu Kang as well as at a local poultry farm.

Read more about Exercise Gallus VI here.

INVESTIGATION ON "AYAM" BRAND SALMON MAYONNAISE

21 March 2012: The importer of "Ayam” brand salmon mayonnaise (185g) had initiated a voluntary recall on 8 February 2012 following consumer feedback that a metal fragment was found in a can of the product. AVA worked with the importer on the investigation and concluded that the metal fragment was unlikely to have been introduced during the manufacturing process. As it was an isolated case, the sale of “Ayam” brand salmon mayonnaise (185g) has been resumed.

VOLUNTARY RECALL OF AYAM BRAND CANNED SALMON MAYONNAISE BY IMPORTER

8 February 2012: Following consumer feedback that a metal fragment was found in a can of “Ayam” brand salmon mayonnaise (185g), the importer of the product, Denis Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, has initiated a voluntary recall of the product in Singapore as a precautionary measure.

Consumers who have bought the implicated product are to either return it to the retailer or to discard the product and not to consume it.

Please click here for details of the affected product.

AVA SUPPORTS RE-HOMING OF STRAY DOGS

23 December 2011: Following reports of the recent case of a jogger who was scratched and bitten by a pack of stray dogs at Punggol Waterway, there are public concerns that all stray dogs that are rounded up are culled. AVA would like to clarify that we do not practice blanket culling. Instead, we allow stray dogs that are suitable for adoption to be re-homed.

Read more about re-homing of stray dogs here.

AVA'S SUCCESSFUL SPAWNING OF POMPANO IN TROPICAL WATERS

1 December 2011: Local farming complements our source diversification strategy in ensuring a resilient food supply for Singapore. To this end, AVA has been working closely with the farmers to improve their productivity and capability. Following the successful spawning of pompano (golden pomfret) fry in AVA’s Marine Aquaculture Centre, the first of its kind on a commercially viable scale in Singapore, AVA worked with a local fish farm to transfer the technology and develop a pompano breeding programme for the farm.

Read more about AVA's efforts to help local farmers improve productivity here.

NO IMPORT OF OLIVES STUFFED WITH ALMONDS AFFECTED BY BOTULISM

3 November 2011: The International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) has informed AVA that Società cooperativa agricola G.M.G F. ar.l. dei F.lli Gaudiano, Italy, has, as a precautionary measure, initiated a market recall of all batches and sizes of olives stuffed with almonds dated from 2010 and 2011. This was because two cases of botulism found in Finland has been linked to the consumption of the olives.

There is no import of the affected products into Singapore. Nevertheless, AVA advises consumers who have bought the implicated products, whilst overseas, to discard the products and not to consume them.

NO IMPORT OF CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA NUTS AFFECTED BY SALMONELLA CONTAMINATION IN AUSTRALIA

17 October 2011: The Food Safety Australia New Zealand has issued a notice on the recall of chocolate macadamia nuts in Australia due to the presence of Salmonella detected during the routine testing by the manufacturing company, Paton's Macadamia Plantations Pty Ltd. The affected products were distributed for sale at tourist souvenir gift shops in Australia, as well as exported to Guam and Thailand.

There is no import of the affected products into Singapore. Nevertheless, AVA advises consumers to discard the affected products if they had purchased the products outside of Singapore for personal consumption.

Please click here for the details of the affected products..

RECALL OF CHESDALE HERB AND GARLIC PROCESSED CHEESE SLICES

4 October 2011: The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand has informed AVA that Fonterra Co operative Group Ltd has found a fragment of metal in a pack of Chesdale Processed Cheese Slices in New Zealand. As a precautionary measure, Fontera has initiated a market recall of Chesdale Herb and Garlic Processed Cheese Slices (250g) (best before date 16 July 2012), in Singapore.

AVA advises consumers who have bought the implicated product to discard the product and not to consume it.

LIST OF ACCREDITED DOG TRAINERS FOR SCHEDULED DOGS

13 September 2011: AVA’s panel has accredited a list of dog trainers to conduct basic obedience training for dogs that are listed under the Second Schedule, or any dogs that have been assessed by AVA to be potentially dangerous. The objective of the accreditation is to ensure minimum competency standards in dog training so that the dog can be properly controlled by its handler.

Dog trainers who would like to apply for accreditation can find out more here or contact ava_cawc@ava.gov.sg.

NO IMPORT OF TAPENADE AND TARTINADE PRODUCTS IMPLICATED IN AN OUTBREAK OF BOTULISM IN FRANCE

12 September 2011: The French authorities have issued a national recall of tapenade (ground olives made into a paste) with almonds and tartinade (dried tomatoes in the form of a paste or spread) produced by an artisan producer, "La Ruche", in Vaucluse in southern France. Both products have been found with botulism toxin type A and are linked to an outbreak of botulism. Botulism is a rare but serious disease caused by ingestion of food containing extremely potent toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.

The brand name of the implicated products is "Les Delices de Marie-Claire". In addition, the implicated products are also distributed under the brand names of "Terre de Mistral" and "Le Secret d'Anaïs".

There is no import of the affected products. Nevertheless, AVA advises consumers to discard the affected products if they had purchased the products outside of Singapore for personal consumption.