FEHD strives to enhance food safety of catering services for tour groups (with photos)

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has launched a special round of operations to inspect food premises serving tour groups in various districts of Hong Kong with reference to the list provided by Travel Industry Authority, with the aim of enhancing food safety and hygiene awareness among the caterers.

     A spokesman for the FEHD said today (September 13), "The inspections, being carried out jointly by the department's Centre for Food Safety (CFS) and Environmental Hygiene Branch since September 12, are to ensure that the licensing conditions regarding food handling and processing are observed by the operators, and that the hygienic standards stipulated in the laws are met. During the inspections, FEHD staff also provide food safety and hygiene education to operators and their employers, and collect food samples for testing."

     Furthermore, the CFS collaborated with the Travel Industry Authority to host an online health talk for tour group catering service providers today, to provide advice on safe food preparation and remind them to maintain good personal, food, and environmental hygiene at all times. Caterers were also encouraged to adhere to Good Hygiene Practices and develop a food safety plan based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system.

     The FEHD will continue to monitor the situation and maintain close liaison with relevant stakeholders to safeguard public health and ensure that food safety standards are upheld.