Food Safety Day 2014 promotes safer cooking methods (with photos)

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 4) launched a series of publicity activities under the theme "Safe and Smart Ways to Cook" to promote safer cooking methods to the public and the food trade to help people cook properly and enjoy healthier food.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of Food Safety Day 2014, the Acting Consultant (Community Medicine) (Risk Assessment and Communication) of the CFS, Dr Samuel Yeung, said that through the campaign theme "Safe and Smart Ways to Cook", the CFS aims to advise the public and the food trade on how good cooking habits can prevent or reduce the formation of harmful substances during the cooking process, as well as to ensure food safety.

He added that the CFS held Food Safety Day with a different theme every year to promote food safety messages to the public and the food trade, with an aim to enhance food safety through tripartite collaboration between the Government, the public and the food trade.

Representatives from food trade associations that have signed up to the Food Safety Charter also joined the ceremony today. By signing up to the Charter they committed themselves to providing quality services grounded in food safety to Hong Kong people and tourists.

The Food Safety Charter, jointly developed by the CFS and the food trade in 2008, has received continuous support from the food trade. So far, 23 food trade associations and over 1, 700 food premises have signed the Charter.

In addition, the CFS organised the first Secondary School Food Safety and Nutrition Labelling Quiz Competition this year to enhance understanding of food safety and nutrition labelling among youngsters and help them develop the habits of proper food handling and making good use of nutrition labels. The final round of the competition and the award presentation ceremony were also held at the same venue today.

The winners of the Secondary School Food Safety and Nutrition Labelling Quiz Competition are as follows:

Champion: Sing Yin Secondary School
First runner-up: St. Clare's Girls' School
Second runner-up: Buddhist Yip Kei Nam Memorial College

A series of food safety publicity initiatives, including TV and radio announcements in the public interest and posters, will be launched following today's ceremony. To further raise awareness of food safety, the CFS, joined by various food trade associations, will also hold a series of talks between July and December to introduce food safety messages related to cooking methods.

Also officiating at today's ceremony were the Chairman of the Expert Committee on Food Safety, Professor Ma Ching-yung, and the Curriculum Development Officer (Technology Education) of the Education Bureau, Ms Poon Suk-mei.

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department held the "Food Safety Day 2014 cum Secondary School Food Safety and Nutrition Labelling Quiz Competition and Award Presentation Ceremony" today (July 4) to promote safe and smart ways of cooking to ensure food safety. Pictured officiating at the Food Safety Day 2014 opening ceremony are the Acting Consultant (Community Medicine) (Risk Assessment and Communication) of the CFS, Dr Samuel Yeung (centre); the Chairman of the Expert Committee on Food Safety, Professor Ma Ching-yung (right); and the Curriculum Development Officer (Technology Education) of the Education Bureau, Ms Poon Suk-mei (left).

Professor Ma (centre) presents the champion trophy of the Secondary School Food Safety and Nutrition Labelling Quiz Competition to Sing Yin Secondary School.

Ends/Friday, July 4, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:15