Food Safety Focus (238th Issue, May 2026) – Article 3

Food Safety Concerns of Cross-Boundary Delivery of Prepared Food to Hong Kong

The cross-boundary order and delivery of freshly prepared meals raise food safety concerns. There are two main issues: first, these meals may be left outdoors for extended periods without temperature control or oversight; second, pick-up points are sometimes unattended, increasing the risk of food tampering or contamination.

Harmful bacteria can rapidly multiply in the temperature danger zone (4°C to 60°C) and cause food poisoning even if the food smells and tastes normal. As stated in the guidelines on takeaways and meal delivery, the 2-hour / 4-hour rule (including transportation time) should be adhered to when there is no temperature control. Meals can be refrigerated or consumed within two hours but must be discarded once they have been kept without temperature control for more than four hours.

Consuming temperature-abused food may cause food poisoning. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea and fever, and in severe cases, serious complications. Both the food business and consumers should take note of the risks of cross-boundary meal order and delivery to ensure food safety.