Applications for Mainland chilled beef imports start today
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     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will accept applications for importing chilled beef from the Mainland from today (December 7).

     Under the arrangement agreed by the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the CFS, stringent control measures will be implemented to ensure that the chilled beef imported is safe for consumption.

     A CFS spokesman said, "The chilled beef can only come from registered plants in the Mainland where slaughtering and meat processing procedures are strictly monitored.

     "Each consignment must also be accompanied with a health certificate issued by the Mainland authorities."

     He added that the centre would inform importers of the application procedures and requirements they had to comply with.

     Application forms can be collected from the Food Importer/Distributor Registration and Import Licensing Office of the CFS in Room 119, 1/F, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai or downloaded from the FEHD website http://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/public/public_fi/files/fehb161.pdf. Enquiries can be made on 2156 3012.

Ends/Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Issued at HKT 17:45

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