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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (June 30) launched a series of publicity and education activities under the theme "Hong Kong's Action on Salt and Sugar Reduction: Healthy cooking starts small" to promote the benefits of reducing dietary intake of salt and sugar to the public and the food trade, and provide some simple and practical tips to help the public adopt a healthy eating habit with less salt and sugar in daily life.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Food Safety Day 2016 today, the Acting Controller of the CFS, Dr Ho Yuk-yin, said that the meaning of "small" under this year's theme is two-folded, i.e. healthy cooking starts with small actions and small children, as developing a healthy eating habit with low intake of salt and sugar from a young age is conducive to children's healthy growth and can prevent chronic diseases effectively. The Government has all along been promoting the relevant health messages to the public in collaboration with the food trade, schools and other stake holders and encouraging parents to help their children get used to a light diet so as to reduce their dietary intake of salt and sugar.
To encourage students to develop a healthy eating habit with low intake of salt and sugar at an early age, the CFS co-organised the Junior Chefs' Culinary Ideas of Salt and Sugar Reduction Competition with the Education Bureau, the Committee on Reduction of Salt and Sugar in Food, the Chinese Culinary Institute and the Committee on Home-School Co-operation. The final adjudication and award presentation ceremony of the competition was held concurrently with the Food Safety Day 2016 opening ceremony today. The finalists presented their novel recipes of low salt and sugar and demonstrated on site their dishes to bring out the message that creativity could add flavour to food prepared with reduced salt and sugar.
The Chairperson of the Committee on Reduction of Salt and Sugar in Food, Mr Bernard Chan, also attended the award presentation ceremony of the competition and shared cooking ideas with participating students and parents.
The winners of the Junior Chefs' Culinary Ideas of Salt and Sugar Reduction Competition are as follows:
Senior Primary Category (Parent-Child Team)
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Champion: St Francis of Assisi's English Primary School - Chow Cheuk Long (Student), Law Kam Yee (Parent)
First runner-up: Ying Wa Primary School - Hermes Iu (Student), Simon Yu (Parent)
Second runner-up: Diocesan Girls' Junior School - Annette Ma (Student), Vincent Ma (Parent)
Most Liked Award: Diocesan Girls' Junior School - Annette Ma (Student), Vincent Ma (Parent)
Junior Secondary Category
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Champion: SKH Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School (Li Ka Wing, Jim Tsz Ching, Yau Nga Man)
First runner-up: Maryknoll Fathers' School (Lo Tung Wai, Mok Ka Man, Chan Sum Yi)
Second runner-up: SKH Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School (Yeung Sin Man, Leung Ching Yuet, Wong Hiu Tong)
Most Liked Award: Kwai Chung Methodist College (Ng Wing Suet, Chan Cheuk Ling, Lo Sze Wing)
Besides the competition, a signing ceremony was also held today during which representatives from the food trade associations signed up for the Food Safety Charter and the "Reduce Salt, Sugar, Oil. We Do!" programme to pledge their commitment to take appropriate measures to safeguard food safety and serve customers with healthy food prepared with less salt, sugar and oil.
The Food Safety Charter was jointly developed by the CFS and the food trade in 2008. Thirteen food trade associations and over 800 food premises have signed the Charter, among which 33 restaurants have joined the "Reduce Salt, Sugar, Oil. We Do!" programme.
Following the Food Safety Day 2016 opening ceremony, a series of food safety publicity initiatives will be launched. The CFS, joined by various food trade associations, will hold a series of talks on salt and sugar reduction between July and December to promote healthy eating habits to the general public and the food trade.
Also officiating at today's Food Safety Day 2016 were the Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Food), Mrs Cherry Tse; the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Miss Vivian Lau; the Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on Reduction of Salt and Sugar in Food, Dr Mak Sin-ping and other committee members; the Chief Curriculum Development Officer (Technology Education) of the Education Bureau, Mr Cheng Wing-cheung; the Vice Principal of the Chinese Culinary Institute, Dr Christopher Leung; and the Secretary of the Committee on Home-School Co-operation, Ms Yung Pik-ching.
Ends/Thursday, June 30, 2016
Issued at HKT 22:39
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