Press Releases

SFH on ways to strengthen regulation of safety of edible oil and recycling of used cooking oil

Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, at the Hong Kong International Airport before departing for Beijing to attend the 3rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministerial Meeting on Food Security this morning (September 18):

Secretary for Food and Health: I held a meeting with the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, and representatives of relevant government departments yesterday (to discuss measures to strengthen regulation of the safety of edible oil and the recycling of used cooking oil). We were deeply concerned about the problem brought about by the import of substandard lard products manufactured by Taiwan's Chang Guann Co Ltd into Hong Kong. We agreed to instigate administrative and legislative measures to ensure the safety of edible oil in Hong Kong as well as to safeguard Hong Kong's reputation.

The Food and Health Bureau will review the relevant legislation and require by legislation that all edible oil manufactured in Hong Kong will have to fulfil certain requirements in future. These requirements include "substandard oil" or "used cooking oil" must not be used as an ingredient for all edible oil in Hong Kong. We will also require Hong Kong edible oil importers to provide an official certificate issued by the origin country or place. Food factories as well as restaurants will also be required to hand over used cooking oil to those recyclers or collectors recognised by the Environmental Protection Department. We will launch a public consultation exercise on these legislative proposals later.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Thursday, September 18, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:03

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