ENG-2020 — Page 204

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Food Safety, Environmental Hygiene, Agriculture and Fisheries

During 2020, the department issued 6,809 full, provisional and temporary food business licences; 1,264 permits for the sale of restricted foods, including 471 online restricted food permits; 1,672 licences for places of public entertainment; 38 licences for other trades; 870 liquor and club liquor licences; and 16 permits for karaoke establishments in licensed restaurants.

Food Safety

The Centre for Food Safety safeguards food sold in Hong Kong. It tested about 66,600 samples of food at import, wholesale and retail levels for chemical, microbiological and radiological examination in 2020. The overall satisfaction rate of these tests was 99.9 per cent. The Government Laboratory is responsible for most of the testing of food samples.

During the year, the Animal Inspection Station at Man Kam To inspected 18,581 vehicles. carrying live food animals including pigs, cattle and goats, and examined 654,193 live food animals.

The FHB and the centre, making reference to the food safety standards of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and other economies, and taking into account local dietary practices and risk assessment results, update Hong Kong's food safety standards and regulatory arrangements in a timely way based on scientific evidence. The Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018, which stipulates updated standards for metallic contamination in food, aims to enhance regulatory control, better protect public health and align Hong Kong with international standards. The amendments took full effect for all kinds of food from 1 November. In December, the government launched a public consultation on proposed amendments to the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations to better ensure food safety.

Public Markets and Cooked Food Markets

The FEHD operates 98 public markets, including 23 free-standing cooked food markets. There are some 14,000 stalls mainly selling fresh provisions, cooked food, light refreshments and household items. As at 31 December, the overall occupancy rate at these markets was 87 per

cent.

Six new public market projects in Tin Shui Wai, Tung Chung Town Centre, Tseung Kwan O, Kwu Tung North New Development Area, Tung Chung New Town Extension and Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area are at different stages of planning, and the FEHD Skylight Market in Tin Shui Wai opened in December.

In addition, the first phase of the FEHD's 10-year Market Modernisation Programme includes the overhaul of four markets and minor refurbishment or improvement works at around 10 other markets.

Hawkers

The FEHD regulates hawking in Hong Kong. As at 31 December, there were 5,246 licensed fixed-pitch hawkers and 348 licensed itinerant hawkers.

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