The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 4) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the General Veterinary Inspectorate of Poland about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Santarém District in Portugal, King's Lynn & West Norfolk District of Norfolk County in the United Kingdom (UK), and Milicki District and Åšredzki District of DolnoÅ›lÄ…skie Region in Poland, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
 
     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, no poultry meat or eggs were imported into Hong Kong from Portugal in the first nine months of last year. Moreover, Hong Kong imported about 70 tonnes of chilled poultry meat, about 2 970 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 250 000 poultry eggs from the UK; and about 4 070 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 24.82 million poultry eggs from Poland in the first nine months of last year.
 
     "The CFS has contacted the Portuguese, British and Polish authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     Ringing in the tiger for a bright year to come, Hongkong Post will issue Lunar New Year special stamps themed on the "Year of the Tiger" on January 18 (Tuesday), including a set of four mint stamps and a stamp sheetlet showing the tiger in different handicrafts, "Heartwarming Stamps" mini-panes, a silk stamp sheetlet, and the "Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals – Ox/Tiger", celebrating the festive season and a joyful Year of the Tiger ahead.
      
     The four mint stamps display respectively a tiger soft toy, a porcelain tiger, a ceramic tiger and a paper art tiger that look playful and adorable against a warm gradient background with embroidered plants, heralding good luck in the Year of the Tiger. The stamp sheetlet features a porcelain tiger wearing an embroidered tiger hat, which is a common gift for children in Chinese tradition, bearing wishes for good health. A vibrant floral cloth in red decorates the background and composes a jolly new year mood. Hongkong Post is also issuing a silk stamp sheetlet where fine patterns are printed on exquisite silk, making it a prestigious collectible for a prosperous Year of the Tiger. Stamp lovers must not miss it.
      
     On the "Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals – Ox/Tiger", there is a pair of ox and tiger stamps set against a background of a mountain landscape in Chinese art strokes sprinkled with spring blossoms, each in a denomination of $50, lavishly finished in silver foil and gold plating respectively. The strong and diligent ox and the lively and courageous tiger wish everyone a share of the vigorous spirit of tiger and good health in the coming year.
      
     Official first day covers for "Year of the Tiger" and official souvenir covers for the "Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet on Lunar New Year Animals – Ox/Tiger" will be put on sale at all post offices, while prestige version of the aforesaid covers will be put on sale at all philatelic offices and on Hongkong Post's online shopping mall "ShopThruPost" (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk) from today.
      
     The special stamps and other associated philatelic products (including first day cover, mint stamps, stamp sheetlet, silk stamp sheetlet, presentation pack, Lunar New Year animals souvenir cover, postage prepaid Lunar New Year greeting cards, serviced first day cover, serviced Lunar New Year animals souvenir cover and "Heartwarming Stamps" mini-panes and red packets) will be available at post offices starting from January 18. Customers may also place online orders for the above philatelic products on "ShopThruPost" (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk) from 8am on the same day.

     â€‹Furthermore, a newly designed 2022 souvenir cover is available at all philatelic offices and on Hongkong Post's online shopping mall "ShopThruPost" (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk) from January 3.
      
     Information about this set of special stamps and associated philatelic products is available on the Hongkong Post Stamps website (stamps.hongkongpost.hk) and the "ShopThruPost" mobile app.

                        

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (January 4) announced the test results of a recently completed seasonal food surveillance project on Lunar New Year (LNY) food (first phase). The test results of around 520 samples collected were satisfactory, except for a prepackaged dried mushroom sample in breach of the food labelling regulation and a turnip pudding sample detected with a non-permitted preservative, which were announced earlier.
 
     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The LNY is coming soon and the CFS is conducting this seasonal food surveillance project in two phases. During the first phase of the project, different types of LNY food including steamed puddings (e.g. turnip puddings and festive cakes), fried dumplings (e.g. sesame balls and crispy triangles), candies, glutinous rice balls, melon seeds and dried aquatic products were collected from different retailers (including online retailers) for chemical and microbiological tests as well as nutrition content analysis."
 
     Chemical tests targeted preservatives, metallic contaminants, sweeteners and others. Microbiological tests covered different food poisoning pathogens. For nutrition content analysis, the contents of total fat, sodium and sugars of the samples were tested to see if the test results were consistent with the declared values on the nutrition labels.
 
     The spokesman urged the food trade to observe the relevant laws and regulations in the preparation of food, follow Good Manufacturing Practice and use permitted food additives only in an appropriate manner. Retailers should source food from reliable suppliers, and conduct quality checks of incoming materials and end products to ensure that ingredients used are within legal standards. In addition, the food trade should maintain proper records in accordance with the requirements of the Food Safety Ordinance to allow source tracing if needed.
 
     The spokesman also advised consumers to buy LNY food from reliable retailers with good hygiene conditions; make sure the packaging of prepackaged cakes and snacks is intact and the products have not expired; refer to the nutrition labels on the sugar, salt (sodium) and fat content and more for making healthy choices; and pay attention to the hygiene conditions of food containers and the personal hygiene of staff when buying loose-packed foods (e.g. candied lotus seeds, nuts and melon seeds).
 
     "Consumers should choose food products with natural colours. Bright white pistachios may have been bleached and melon seeds with an unnatural gloss may have had mineral oil added. Consumption of these food products can cause gastrointestinal discomfort," the spokesman said.
 
     "Festive cakes that are not for immediate consumption should be kept refrigerated or stored according to the instructions on the package, and should be eaten before they expire. Reheat hot-served festive cakes thoroughly before consumption, consume them as soon as possible, and avoid keeping them at room temperature for a long time. Foods like nuts and melon seeds should not be kept for a long time. Those with mould or an abnormal smell or taste should not be eaten," he added.
 
     The spokesman reminded the public to maintain a balanced diet and avoid foods that are high in energy, sugar, salt or fat during the LNY.
 
     The CFS will continue to conduct surveillance on LNY food and the second-phase results will be released in a timely manner to ensure food safety.

     The Land Registry today (January 4) released its statistics for December 2021.

Land registration 
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* The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration in December was 7,076 (-2.3 per cent compared with November 2021 and -6.8 per cent compared with December 2020)

* The 12-month moving average for December was 8,011 (0.5 per cent below the 12-month moving average for November 2021 but 31.1 per cent above that for December 2020)

* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in December was $87.8 billion (+39.4 per cent compared with November 2021 and +24.9 per cent compared with December 2020)

* Among the sale and purchase agreements, 5,145 were for residential units (-4.9 per cent compared with November 2021 and -15.2 per cent compared with December 2020)

* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in respect of residential units was $48.5 billion (-5.4 per cent compared with November 2021 and -17.4 per cent compared with December 2020)

     Statistics on sales of residential units do not include sale and purchase agreements relating to sales of units under the Home Ownership Scheme, the Private Sector Participation Scheme, the Tenants Purchase Scheme, etc, unless the premium of the unit concerned has been paid after the sale restriction period.

     Figures on sale and purchase agreements received for the past 12 months, the year-on-year rate of change and breakdown figures on residential sales have also been released.

     As deeds may not be lodged with the Land Registry until up to 30 days after the transaction, these statistics generally relate to land transactions in the previous month.

Land search
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* The number of searches of land registers made by the public in December was 436,325 (-7.3 per cent compared with November 2021 but +6.0 per cent compared with December 2020)

     The statistics cover searches made at the counter, through the self-service terminals and via the Integrated Registration Information System Online Services.

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The Judiciary today (January 3) announced that following the introduction of the e-Appointment service for the various services in the Probate Registry, the Family Court Registry and the Lands Tribunal Registry in March 2021, the service will be extended to the Appeals Registry at the Clerk of Court's Office of the High Court, the High Court Registry and the Integrated Mediation Office on Friday (January 7).

     The extended e-Appointment System will enable unrepresented litigants or applicants to make online appointments via the respective new dedicated web links shown below for specified services of the registries and office from Friday.

Appeals Registry at Clerk of Court's Office of High Court
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     Unrepresented litigants can make online appointments via www.judiciary.hk/en/court_services_facilities/arci_index.html
for attending the Appeals Registry to file a notice of appeal, or summons for leave to appeal or extension of time to appeal for civil matters. 
   
High Court Registry
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     Court users can make online appointments via www.judiciary.hk/en/court_services_facilities/apostl_index.html for attending the Apostille Service Office of the High Court Registry to make applications for apostille service in respect of specified documents.

Integrated Mediation Office
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     Court users who wish to understand the nature of mediation and how it facilitates the resolution of disputes can make online appointments via www.judiciary.hk/en/court_services_facilities/imois_index.html for attending information sessions on family mediation or general mediation (not the actual mediation sessions or counselling services) organised by the Judiciary's Integrated Mediation Office.

     The Guidance Notes with details of the above new e-Appointment services are available at their corresponding dedicated links above.
 
     The e-Appointment services introduced earlier in other registries have so far been well received. They have helped to save time of court users in queuing for the services. Details of these services are accessible via the following links:
 
Probate Registry: Applications for amendment of grant
(www.judiciary.hk/en/court_services_facilities/pres_index.html)
 
Family Court Registry: Petitions for divorce or joint applications
(www.judiciary.hk/en/court_services_facilities/fcci_index.html)
 
Lands Tribunal Registry: Possession applications for domestic premises, possession applications for non-domestic premises, and building management applications
(www.judiciary.hk/en/court_services_facilities/ldci_index.html)