XN000022-1984-11-04 — Page 14

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1984

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COUNCIL SPARES NO EFFORTS IN ENSURING

WHOLESOME SUPPLY OF FOOD

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IT IS JOKINGLY SAID THAT THE CANTONESE WILL EAT ANYTHING THAT CRAWLS OR HAS FOUR LEGS EXCEPT A TABLE IN THE IR QUEST TO SATISFY THE IR EXOTIC TASTE BUDS. THIS STATEMENT DOES HOWEVER REFLECT THE IMMENSE RANGE OF FOODS AND THE DIVERSITY OF THEIR PREPARATION AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG.

IN FACT, WERE IT NOT FOR HONG KONG'S PHENOMENAL ECONOMIC SUCCESS, WHICH OFTEN OVERSHADOWS ITS MANY OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS, WE WOULD PROBABLY BECOME BETTER KNOWN AS THE GASTRONOMIC MECCA OF THE WORLD. FOR ONE WOULD BE HARD PUT TO FIND SUCH VARIED CUISINE IN ONE PLACE ANYWHERE ELSE.

VISITORS WATCH IN AMAZEMENT AT OUR EXOTIC EATING HABITS AND PROBABLY QUESTION THE WISDOM OF SUCH PRACTICE. BUT THEY WILL PROBABLY FEEL MUCH MORE AT EASE IF THEY ARE AWARE OF THE STRICT AND COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF LOCAL REGULATION IN FOOD PRODUCTION, IMPORTATION AND THEIR HYGIENIC PREPARATION.

THIS SYSTEM OF CONTROLS IS EMBODIED IN THE AUTHORITY OF THE URBAN COUNCIL'S FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE TO ISSUE LICENCES TO PUBLIC EATING PLACES AND PERMITS FOR THE SALE OF CERTAIN FOODS, AND TO PROSECUTE THE LICENCE/PERMIT HOLDERS IF THEY DO NOT OPERATE UP TO THE REQUIRED HYGIENIC STANDARDS.

AT THE END OF MARCH THIS YEAR, THERE WERE 6 998 LICENSED FOOD PREMISES, INCLUDING 3 665 GENERAL RESTAURANTS IN THE URBAN AREAS. IN ADDITION, 4 674 PERMITS FOR THE SALE OF RESTRICTED FOODS SUCH AS FROZEN CONFECTIONS, MILK, AND CHINESE HERB TEA -- WERE ISSUED.

THE COUNCIL, THROUGH THE HEALTH INSPECTORATE, FIRMLY APPROACHES 1TS TASK OF ENSURING THAT ALL FOODS, WHETHER LOCALLY PROCESSED OR IMPORTED, ARE WHOLESOME, UP TO THE REQUIRED STANDARDS AND FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

STATISTICS SHOW THAT LAST MONTH ALONE, TRAINED HEALTH INSPECTORS OF THE COUNCIL'S +EXECUTIVE ARM+, THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, CHECKED AND EXAMINED 465 CONSIGNMENTS OF MEAT AND POULTRY BEFORE THEY WERE RELEASED FOR THE MARKET. AS A RESULT, 22.5 TONNES OF FOOD WHICH WERE FOUND TO BE UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION WERE DESTROYED.

/AT THE