Introduction

The Legislative Council completed its scrutiny of the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (“the Amendment Regulation”) in October 2018.  The Amendment Regulation came into force on 1 November 2019 and takes full effect from 1 November 2020 on all kinds of foods.

Taking into account the need to allow sufficient time for traders to adapt to the updated maximum levels (MLs) (including identifying alternative sources if needed) and the local testing and laboratory sector to build up testing capability based on the new MLs, the Amendment Regulation first took effect for certain types of fresh food with shorter durability and shelf life (i.e. fresh fruit and vegetable and their juice, fresh meat and edible offal of animal and poultry, aquatic animal and poultry egg) on 1 November 2019.  Given that food types other than those mentioned above normally have a longer shelf / storage life, a 12-month grace period was offered under the Amendment Regulation. The relevant grace period has ended and the Amendment Regulation takes full effect from 1 November 2020 on all kinds of foods.

• Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018
• Guidelines
• Technical meeting (February 2018 – March 2019)
• Frequently Asked Questions

Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018

• Press release – Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 takes full effect
• Press release – Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 comes into force
• Press release – Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 gazetted
• Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (L.N. 113 of 2018)

Guidelines

• Guidelines on the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (PDF)

Technical Meeting (February 2018 – March 2019)

A series of meetings to discuss with trade and other interested stakeholders on technical issues related to the proposed amendments to the Regulations have been arranged.

5th Meeting (1 March 2019)

• Invitation letter with agenda (PDF)

• Powerpoints
  • Introduction of the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (PDF)
  • Introduction of the Guidelines on the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (PDF)

4th Meeting (14 February 2019)

• Invitation letter with agenda (PDF)
• Draft Guidelines on the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (PDF)

• Powerpoints
  • Overview of the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (PDF)
  • Overview of the Draft Guidelines on the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (PDF)

3rd Meeting (13 June 2018)

• Invitation letter with agenda (PDF)
• Powerpoints
  • Overview of the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (“the Amendment Regulation”) (PDF)
  • Food classification under the Amendment Regulation (PDF)

2nd Meeting (23 March 2018)

• Invitation letter with agenda (PDF)
• Powerpoints
  • Accreditation service for food testing (PDF)
  • Testing of trace elements in food (PDF)

1st Meeting (2 February 2018)

• Invitation letter with agenda (PDF)
• Powerpoints
  
  • Results of the public consultation and the proposed way forward (PDF)
  • Proposed grace period arrangement (PDF)
  • Proposed outline/content of the guidelines for the trade (PDF)

Public Consultation (6 June – 5 September 2017)

• Consultation Document*
• Pamphlet
• Results of the Public Consultation

*For details regarding the Codex food classification and definitions of other food commodities, please refer to the website of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/list-standards/en/). For example, canned food is generally referred to food products which are processed in an appropriate manner, before or after being hermetically sealed in a container.
  
Regarding the Codex Classification of Foods and Animal Feeds (Second Edition) (CAC/MISC 4), the revised food classification adopted by Codex (e.g. the revised fruit classification adopted in 2012) has not been incorporated in the aforementioned food classification document.