XN000022-1991-06-20 — Page 15

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1991

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'FOOD SAFETY IS IN YOUR HANDS' CAMPAIGN STARTS

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PEOPLE IN THE FOOD TRADE AND INDUSTRY ARE TODAY (THURSDAY) REMINDED TO OBSERVE GOOD HYGIENE PRACTICES TO SAFEGUARD PUBLIC HEALTH.

THE APPEAL WAS MADE BY THE URBAN COUNCIL CHAIRMAN, DR RONALD LEUNG, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 1991 FOOD HYGIENE CAMPAIGN WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FOOD TRADE.

DR LEUNG SAID WITH THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT IN FOOD MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY AND THE GREAT VARIETY OF NEW FOOD PRODUCTS, FOOD HYGIENE MONITORING WORK HAD BECOME HEAVIER AND EVEN MORE COMPLICATED,

"TO SAFEGUARD PUBLIC HEALTH, THE TWO MUNICIPAL COUNCILS SPARE NO EFFORT IN MAINTAINING FOOD HYGIENE AND SAFETY," HE SAID.

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"MEASURES BEING TAKEN INCLUDE A LICENSING SYSTEM, REGULAR INSPECTIONS OF FOOD PREMISES AND SYSTEMATIC AND STRATEGIC SAMPLING LOCALLY-MANUFACTURED AND IMPORTED FOOD PRODUCTS."

TO IMPROVE HEALTH CONTROL ON LICENSED FOOD PREMISES, SAID THE URBAN COUNCIL HAD SINCE LAST JULY ADOPTED A MORE AND FAIRER MONITORING SYSTEM THE "DEMERIT POINTS SYSTEM" TO RAISE THE HYGIENE STANDARD OF THE FOOD INDUSTRY.

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DR LEUNG EFFECTIVE IN A BID

HE STRESSED THAT CO-OPERATION FROM PEOPLE IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY WAS UTMOST IMPORTANT IF FOOD SAFETY WAS TO BE ACHIEVED.

THE THEME OF THIS YEAR'S CAMPAIGN WAS, THEREFORE, APTLY TITLED "FOOD SAFETY IS IN YOUR HANDS", HE SAID.

ECHOING THE APPEAL AT THE SAME OCCASION, THE REGIONAL COUNCIL VICE-CHAIRMAN, DR PANG HOK-TUEN, SAID PEOPLE IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY WERE ON THE FRONTLINE OF SAFEGUARDING FOOD SAFETY.

HE SAID CUSTOMERS WOULD NOT MERELY GO FOR DELICIOUS FOOD BUT WOULD ALSO PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO FOOD SAFETY AND CLEANLINESS.

THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO BUILD UP CUSTOMERS' CONFIDENCE WAS, THEREFORE, TO OBSERVE FOOD HYGIENE PRACTICES AND SAFETY, HE ADDED.

THE THREE-MONTH FOOD HYGIENE CAMPAIGN JS ORGANISED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILS.

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IT AIMS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE HYGIENE PRACTICES TO MINIMISE THE CHANCES OF FOOD-BORNE DISEASES.

DURING THE CAMPAIGN PERIOD 24 FOOD HYGIENE SEMINARS WILL BE HELD FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOOD TRADE, INCLUDING LICENSEES AND STAFF OF LICENSED FOOD PREMISES, COOKED FOOD STALLS AND CANTEENS CONVENIENTLY-LOCATED VENUES THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.

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/THE SEMINARS