XN000022-1973-11-23 — Page 10

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Friday, November 23, 1973

FOOD SELLING MACHINES A BUSINESS

New measures to bring health regulations up-to-date for the running

of food business in the New Territories will be introduced from February 1

next year.

The new measures, contained in the Food Business (New Territories)

(Amendment) Regulations 1973, are published in today's gazette.

Under the amending regulations, the operation of food vending

machines will be considered a food business and the health authorities

will be provided with powers to prosecute the owner of an unlicensed business

when its operator cannot be located.

At the same time, the regulations discontinue the need to license

shops which sell fruit or Vegetables, and introduce a simplified system to

calculate the minimum kitchen area required for restaurants of different sizes.

Similar amendments to the Food Business By-laws, which apply to the

urban areas, are expected to be made in the near future.

Commenting on the new regulations today, a spokesman for the Urban

There

Services Department explained that a coin-operated food vending machine was

now considered a food business and required a permit because it was necessary

to maintain high standards of hygiene to safeguard public health.

has also been an increasing number of such machines being used to sell food.

On the other hand, the spokesman pointed out, it was no longer

necessary to license fresh provision shops selling fruit or vegetables,

except cut fruit and fresh fruit juice, because there was now little risk

to public health from their sale.

/On the

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