Oscar

Oscar the Food Safety Otter was introduced by the Singapore Food Agency (then called the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore) in 2002 to promote food safety habits among the public. The Asian otter was chosen as the mascot because of its natural behaviour of washing its food before consumption, symbolising proper food hygiene practices. His message to the public is “Together, let’s keep food safe.”

Oscar has sported different attire over the years. In his original “thumbs up” look, Oscar did not wear any clothes, revealing a top layer of fur. After the rebrand to Singapore Food Agency, Oscar started wearing an orange shirt with his name on it. The Oscar costume initially had a purple apron before changing to a red one. Both aprons included his name and public message, and were covered partially at the top by a layer of fur - perhaps a nod to the original design.

Oscar is featured frequently in SFA’s social media channels and makes occasional appearances alongside the Singapore Farmed Forces, SFA’s other mascots.

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