ENG-2007 — Page 233

Food Safety, Environmental Hygiene, Agriculture and Fisheries 185

During the year, AFCD continued to provide an annual internal training programme on poultry culling procedures for staff who may have to participate in culling operations. The department also conducted an exercise in 2007 to assess the effectiveness of the programme and the department's preparedness should it be called upon to cull a large number of birds in Hong Kong's poultry farms.

Public Markets and Cooked Food Markets

The FEHD runs 104 public markets, including 25 free-standing cooked food markets, providing some 11 383 stalls that sell commodities ranging from fresh food to household items.

Hawkers

The FEHD regulates hawking activities in Hong Kong. As at December 31, 2007, there were a total of 6 636 and 600 licensed fixed-pitch hawkers and itinerant hawkers respectively.

Slaughterhouses

At present, fresh meat in

fresh meat in Hong Kong is supplied by three licensed slaughterhouses, namely Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse, Tsuen Wan Slaughterhouse and Cheung Chau Slaughterhouse. The FEHD is responsible for overseeing the operation of these slaughterhouses to ensure they meet the prescribed hygiene standards.

During the year, 40 694 animal health certificates and 22 010 entry permits for local pigs were verified at the slaughterhouses. To help ensure food safety and public health protection, 56 624 samples of urine and tissue were taken from animals at the slaughterhouses for testing for veterinary drug residues. A total of 1 766 916 pigs, 41 525 cattle and 12 311 goats were slaughtered and examined in the three slaughterhouses. Meat supplied by the slaughterhouses is subject to inspection by health inspectors and only meat fit for human consumption is released for sale.

The Intelligence Unit of the FEHD continued to carry out covert surveillance to track down sellers of chilled meat as fresh meat; and to carry out operations with the Customs and Excise Department and the Police to deter meat smuggling. In 2007, 41 large-scale raids on meat smugglers were carried out, resulting in 21 arrests and the seizure of 6.7 tonnes of smuggled meat. Three FPS licences and two market tenancies were terminated for fraudulent sale of chilled meat as fresh meat.

Public Education

The FEHD runs the Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre in Kowloon Park, Tsim Sha Tsui, and the Communication Resource Unit at the Fa Yuen Street Municipal Services Building in Mong Kok to stress the importance of food safety and environmental hygiene.

During the year, 2 781 health talks were given to the general public and various target groups, including food handlers, school children, foreign domestic helpers, the