ENG-2009 — Page 242

182 Food Safety, Environmental Hygiene, Agriculture and Fisheries

In 2009, the CFS continued the review on the regulatory framework for the control of pesticide and veterinary drug residues in food.

The regulation governing nutrition labelling will come into force in July 2010 after a two-year grace period. By then, most prepackaged foods will have to provide. nutrition labels which include information on energy and seven specified nutrients. Apart from nutrition labels, the regulation also specifies the conditions for making nutrition claims.

The Government is also working on a Food Safety Bill to introduce new food safety control tools, including a mandatory registration scheme for food importers and distributors and requirement for food traders to maintain proper transaction records to enhance food traceability.

The CFS worked closely with the 2009 East Asian Games (Hong Kong) Limited and related catering service providers to ensure food safety throughout the Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games. The arrangements included conducting tests on food samples, stepping up enforcement inspections, setting up a dedicated Food Safety Advisory Team to ensure compliance with food safety guidelines by caterers and organising publicity and education activities.

Measures against Avian Influenza

Hong Kong implements a series of measures to keep avian influenza at bay to protect public health. These include stringent monitoring of farms and markets, vaccination of chickens and close surveillance of foreign and local birds in Hong Kong.

Under an agreement between the Mainland and Hong Kong, all poultry (except pigeons) imported from the Mainland are required to be vaccinated against H5 avian influenza (commonly known as bird flu). Government veterinarians also pay regular visits to registered Mainland farms to ensure that the poultry they export to Hong Kong are healthy.

Keeping of chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons, quails and other poultry in backyards is prohibited. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $100,000. People who kept poultry as pets before the ban are required to have exemption permits to continue keeping them. Owners of racing pigeons are required to have exhibition licences.

Licensing conditions require pet bird traders to submit to the health authorities official health certificates, or documents such as invoices showing the places of origin of their birds, or the names and addresses of their suppliers. Sale of birds from unknown sources is prohibited. Bird traders must also keep up-to-date records of their transactions and the number of birds in their possession.

To prevent virus from accumulating in retail outlets, the Government introduced a new law in July 2008 that prohibits the keeping of live poultry overnight in retail premises.