Page 71 of 154
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Council will come to order.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 15th October, 1975 were confirmed.
(Mr. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN arrived at this point.)
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-The Council is required by law to make sure that food sold in Hong Kong is fit for human consumption. So, control must be exercised over its quality and how it is prepared and even exposed for sale. If public health is to be safeguarded in our densely populated city and under our climatic conditions, regulations must be suited to our circumstances, kept up to-date, made fully known to the trade and enforced without fear or favour. Also, when in breach, prosecutions must be instituted at once and, let us hope, realistic penalties imposed in the interest of the community.
In this vital situation, it goes without saying, food inspection is of fundamental importance. It involves the testing of a very great number of samples through both bacteriological and chemical analyses. But, it is only a part of the many-sided vigilance which the community has a right to expect from the Council and the Urban Services Department.
Indeed, control over the preparation of food starts in our abattoirs, markets, food factories and other premises and must be kept up throughout the whole process before food is put out for sale, whether raw or ready for eating. It is concerned even with how food is delivered and served for consumption. All this work to protect the community's health is done by specialists all along the line as it should be.
But, the public does not generally know all the measures taken by the Urban Services Department for the common good. Perhaps all such action is taken for granted. But a better understanding may well attract more public co-operation. For this reason, then, we ought to spell out how this responsibility is discharged. The Department controls the purity and quality of food produced locally or imported for sale here. It carries out surveys and inspections and takes samples for examination. Where food is not found to be of an acceptable standard, it is destroyed. Moreover, when complaints are received, investigations are made, conditions set right and prosecutions taken out where required.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
There are various food regulations to be enforced. Side by side with this enforcement responsibility, there is the need to give technical advice to food manufacturers and purveyors in addition to undertaking a growing commitment to educate those engaged in the trade. Of course, there is also the duty to examine imported food in its many forms as well as to ensure that food exported from Hong Kong is of an acceptable health standard. All these requirements call for close inspection of the establishments, not only where such products are made but also where they are stored, before certificates can be issued for the marketing of food products abroad if they are actually for export. Evidently, research has to be kept up and regulations reviewed, while reports from the field are monitored so that prompt and effective action may be taken to protect public health.
Because more people now find it convenient to eat out, a great number of restaurants and other food premises have opened all over our heavily populated areas. They are set up in physical conditions not always built specially as restaurants but converted to such use. Consequently, even closer inspections have to be carried out to check that all the requirements are met. Of course, the Council has drawn up regulations which are carefully explained in booklets freely issued to all intending to enter the food business; other assistance is rendered to those who may need more guidance. In any case, a time-table for processing applications is laid down for the issue of licences. In sum, essential sanitary facilities must be provided and specific hygienic standards maintained if public health is not to be endangered. There are now just over 10,000 licensed premises for the sale of food in our urban areas.
Not only must they be passed before they are allowed to open for business but regular fortnightly inspections are normally carried out to determine whether satisfactory standards are maintained. Moreover, the people who handle and prepare food are required to be free from certain infectious diseases and must be immunized against them. Courses are run to instruct food handlers in the safe and hygienic preparation of food.
All these requirements mean in effect that the Department must have an adequate complement of fully qualified staff. For this purpose, a long and specialized training is undertaken. Previously, local food inspectors and other specialists were sent abroad but in recent years
Page 72 of 154
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Page 71 of 154
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110
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
ADDRESS BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Council will come to order.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 15th October, 1975 were confirmed.
(Mr. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN arrived at this point.)
STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN
CHAIRMAN (in English):-The Council is required by law to make sure that food sold in Hong Kong is fit for human consumption. So, control must be exercised over its quality and how it is prepared and even exposed for sale. If public health is to be safeguarded in our densely populated city and under our climatic conditions, regulations must be suited to our circumstances, kept up to-date, made fully known to the trade and enforced without fear or favour. Also, when in breach, prosecutions must be instituted at once and, let us hope, realistic penalties imposed in the interest of the community.
In this vital situation, it goes without saying, food inspection is of fundamental importance. It involves the testing of a very great number of samples through both bacteriological and chemical analyses. But, it is only a part of the many-sided vigilance which the community has a right to expect from the Council and the Urban Services Department.
Indeed, control over the preparation of food starts in our abattoirs, markets, food factories and other premises and must be kept up throughout the whole process before food is put out for sale, whether raw or ready for eating. It is concerned even with how food is delivered and served for consumption. All this work to protect the community's health is done by specialists all along the line as it should be.
But, the public does not generally know all the measures taken by the Urban Services Department for the common good. Perhaps all such action is taken for granted. But a better understanding may well attract more public co-operation. For this reason, then, we ought to spell out how this responsibility is discharged. The Department controls the purity and quality of food produced locally or imported
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
111
for sale here. It carries out surveys and inspections and takes samples for examination. Where food is not found to be of an acceptable standard, it is destroyed. Moreover, when complaints are received, investigations are made, conditions set right and prosecutions taken out where required.
There are various food regulations to be enforced. Side by side with this enforcement responsibility, there is the need to give technical advice to food manufacturers and purveyors in addition to undertaking a growing commitment to educate those engaged in the trade. Of course, there is also the duty to examine imported food in its many forms as well as to ensure that food exported from Hong Kong is of an acceptable health standard. All these requirements call for close inspection of the establishments, not only where such products are made but also where they are stored, before certificates can be issued for the marketing of food products abroad if they are actually for export. Evidently, research has to be kept up and regulations reviewed, while reports from the field are monitored so that prompt and effective action may be taken to protect public health.
Because more people now find it convenient to eat out, a great number of restaurants and other food premises have opened all over our heavily populated areas. They are set up in physical conditions not always built specially as restaurants but converted to such use. Consequently, even closer inspections have to be carried out to check that all the requirements are met. Of course, the Council has drawn up regulations which are carefully explained in booklets freely issued to all intending to enter the food business; other assistance is rendered to those who may need more guidance. In any case, a time-table for processing applications is laid down for the issue of licences. In sum, essential sanitary facilities must be provided and specific hygienic standards maintained if public health is not to be endangered. There are now just over 10,000 licensed premises for the sale of food in our urban areas.
Not only must they be passed before they are allowed to open for business but regular fortnightly inspections are normally carried out to determine whether satisfactory standards are maintained. Moreover, the people who handle and prepare food are required to be free from certain infectious diseases and must be immunized against them. Courses are run to instruct food handlers in the safe and hygienic preparation of food.
All these requirements mean in effect that the Department must have an adequate complement of fully qualified staff. For this purpose, a long and specialized training is undertaken. Previously, local food inspectors and other specialists were sent abroad but in recent years
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