Food Legislation / Guidelines

The basic food law in Hong Kong is laid down in Part V and Part VA of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132). The main provisions cover general protection for food purchasers, offences in connection with sale of unfit food and adulterated food, composition and labelling of food, food hygiene, seizure and destruction of unfit food , and the Authority’s power to ma k e an order to prohibit the import/ supply and to order a recall of the food under certain conditions. Control s in specific areas are provided in subsidiary legislation under the Ordinance as follows:

Food Regulations Highlights

1.	Colouring Matter in Food Regulations
2.	Dried Milk Regulations
3.	Sweeteners in Food Regulations
4.	Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations
5.	Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations
6.	Food Business Regulation
7.	Frozen Confections Regulation
8.	Harmful Substances in Food Regulations
9.	Imported Game, Meat and Poultry Regulations
10.	Milk Regulation
11.	Mineral Oil in Food Regulations
12.	Preservatives in Food Regulation
13.	Slaughterhouses Regulation

Guidelines

1.		Guidelines on the Use of Disposable Tray Liners
2.		Guidelines to the Trade on Reducing the Level of Ethyl Carbamate in Alcoholic Beverages during Storage and Transport
3.		Guidelines on the Use of Aluminium-containing Food Additives
4.		Guidelines for Safe Preparation and Handling of Poached Chicken - A Guide to Food Factory, Foodservice and Retail Outlets
5.		Guidelines for Safe Preparation and Handling of Poached Chicken - A Guide to Consumer
6.		Trade Guidelines on Safe Production of Rice and Noodles
7.		Preservatives and Antioxidants User Guidelines
8.		Technical Guidance Notes on Nutrition Labelling and Nutrition Claims
9.		Method Guidance Notes on Nutrition Labelling and Nutrition Claims
10.		Guide to Application for Small Volume Exemption (PDF)
11.		Trade Guidelines on Reducing Trans Fats in Food
12.		Guidelines on Identification and Labelling of Oilfish / Cod
13.		Labelling Guidelines on Food Allergens, Food Additives and Date format
14.		Guidelines on Voluntary Labelling of Genetically Modified (GM) Food
15.		A. Microbiological Guidelines for Ready-to-eat Food B. Supplementary Information to Microbiological Guidelines for Ready-to-eat Food
16.		Guide to Import of Mainland Chilled Chickens into Hong Kong
17.		Guide to Import of Food into Hong Kong
18.		Guide to Import of Milk and Milk Beverages into Hong Kong
19.		Guide to Import of Frozen Confections into Hong Kong
20.		Guide to Import of Game, Meat and Poultry into Hong Kong
21.		Guide to Import of Marine Products into Hong Kong
22.		Guide to Application for Import Licence for Frozen Meat, Chilled Meat, Frozen Poultry and Chilled Poultry
23.		Food Recall Guidelines
24.		Code of Hygienic Practice for Aseptically Processed and Packaged Low-Acid Foods
25.		A Guide to Application for Health Certificate for Foods of Animal Origin
26.		Monitoring Pesticides Residues in Food
27.		CODE OF PRACTICE - Import and Sale of Live Marine Fish for Human Consumption
28.		Code of Practice on Section 78B Orders

Note : Please browse http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_export.nsf/home.htm for details of the food law in Chapter 132.