Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2021 enters into full force today

***********************************************************************************

     A Government spokesman today (December 1) reminded the food trade and members of the public that the Harmful Substances in Food (Amendment) Regulation 2021 (the Amendment Regulation) comes into effect in full today to specify partially hydrogenated oils (PHO), the main source of industrially produced trans fatty acids (IP-TFAs), as a prohibited substance in food. The related marking and labelling requirement also takes effect in parallel today.

     The spokesman said, "To meet the World Health Organization's goal of eliminating IP-TFAs from the global food supply by 2023, and in line with one of the key measures under Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Disease in Hong Kong, announced by the Government in 2018, the relevant provisions of the Amendment Regulation that impose a ban on PHO in the local food supply come into operation today, so as to eliminate IP-TFAs at source to protect public health."

     Moreover, along with the Amendment Regulation, the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulation 2021 stipulates that any prepackaged food containing hydrogenated oils, e.g. fully hydrogenated oil, must be indicated accordingly in the list of ingredients. The relevant provisions also commence today.

     For details of the Amendment Regulation, please refer to www.cfs.gov.hk/english/whatsnew/whatsnew_fstr/whatsnew_fstr_Food_Regulations_Harmful_Substances.html.

Ends/Friday, December 1, 2023
Issued at HKT 10:00

NNNN

Archives Yesterday's Press Releases

Back to Index Page

Today's Press Releases