Colouring Matter in Food Regulations

Regulation 3 Restriction on use of colouring matter other than permitted colouring matter

3.   No food intended for sale for human consumption shall contain any added colouring matter which is not a permitted colouring matter, and no person shall sell, consign or deliver, or import into Hong Kong, any such food which does not comply with the provisions of this regulation.

Regulation 5 Restriction on sale or advertisement of colouring matter other than permitted colouring matter

5(1)   No person shall sell or advertise for sale any colouring matter for use in food which is not a permitted colouring matter.
5(3)   No person shall sell, consign or deliver for use in food any colouring matter or any colouring and flavouring compound except in a container bearing a label in accordance with the provisions of the Second Schedule.

Second Schedule Labelling of colouring matter and colouring and flavouring compounds

  1. Each container to which regulation 5(3) relates shall bear a label on which is printed in English lettering and Chinese characters a true statement in the form of one of the following declarations-

    In the case of colouring matter-

    THIS FOOD COLOUR CONFORMS
    TO THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
    OF HONG KONG
    此食品色素符合香港法例規定

    In the case of colouring and flavouring compounds-

    THE FOOD COLOUR IN THIS
    COMPOUND CONFORMS TO THE
    LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF
    HONG KONG
    此化合物內之食品色素符合
    香港法例規定

    Provided that it shall be sufficient if the labels on containers of quantities of less than 100 g or 100 ml, as the case may be, bear distinctly and legibly printed thereon in English lettering and Chinese characters the declaration "FOOD COLOUR" (食物色素) or "FOOD COLOUR AND FLAVOURING COMPOUND" (食物色素及調味化合物), as the case may be, or a declaration to the like effect.
  2. The declaration shall in each case be distinctly and legibly printed in dark block type upon a light coloured ground and, except in the case of a declaration in accordance with the proviso to the preceding paragraph, shall be so printed within a surrounding line, and no other matter shall be printed within such surrounding line. The type used for containers of quantities of more than 1 kg or 1l, as the case may be, shall be not less than 5 mm in height, and the type used for containers of quantities of less than 1 kg or 1l, as the case may be, but more than 100 g or 100 ml, as the case may be, shall be not less than 3 mm in height.
  3. The label shall be securely affixed to or be part of the wrapper or container, and in every case shall be so placed as to be clearly visible and shall either be part of any main label or a separate label placed in close proximity thereto.

Note : Please browse https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/?_lang=en for details of the food law in Chapter 132.

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